The New School Year

It is with excitment that we begin the new school year. I hope that some of the dreams and goals of my students can be achieved! They can if you believe it. You have to take each day and make it your best!
So in the words of Randy Pausch are you a Tigger or an Eeyore? Are you approaching the days with excitement and joy? ... Just you all wait... we will all be "bouncing" in for the first day!

The Envelope Please...

Mr. Bennett has decided ... the envelope has been stuffed with that paper we long to see... What is it that we are all waiting for?
Who are we going to have for the next school year? I can't wait for that mail, and unfortunately where I live the mail is horrible! My letter will come long after most everyone has gotten theirs.
Don't you all think that it is funny that we all have to wait all summer?
So when your letter comes...and you find out who you are going to have for the next school year...Tell me about it.

Tell me about your summer...

I have been so busy especially with graduate classes. Yes, kids...teachers are students too! I have learned so much and can't wait to incorporatate all the new and fun ideas into my lessons.
I have been teaching too for University of Phoenix online. I am teaching Child Development and enjoying this new experience. It has been interesting teaching to students that you only get to know from what you read online. My course is 9 weeks, so I will have to let you know in a few weeks how it finished out.
Well on the the fun stuff...
We went to Disney for a week in the beginning of July. Of course it was great fun. We even had dinner with the princesses! Another highlight was seeing the Spectromagic parade at 11pm at night in the Magic Kingdom. The lights were fabulous and just kept going and going!
This past weekend we went kayaking on the Brandywine River. We paddled for 2 1/2 hours...It was a beautiful trip from Harvey's Bridge to Northbrook Canoe Company. Whew... I was pretty tired the rest of the day. Mr. McDonald and I had blisters on our hands but we never tipped over!
Let me know what you have been doing this summer... if you have pictures... email them to me and I will post a few to the blog!

Summer Reading... The Good, the Bad...The Pigza?

PIGZA??? Yes, Joey Pigza. I read this and loved it! Has anyone read it yet? I am going to start off the year with this read aloud. Should be fun and interesting. So what have you been reading over the summer? I would love to hear all about it.

First, the reason for the blog is that I am reading "Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts, and Other powerful Web Tools for Classrooms" by Will Richardson. This is why I am trying out the blog. Thanks to everyone who is helping me in this new adventure! Please use my first post to let me know what you think about blogging.

When I was on vacation, I read this very powerful book called "Mistaken Identity" about 2 girls who were in an accident and misidentified. The book is about the events of the 2 families after it happened. In the book there was a blog of thoughts and letters to both families. How wonderful to have that online journal and community of people that goes beyond what can happen physically. I am hoping that is what we get from blogging together here!

A note from Jessica and the Davis Family

Jessica and the Davis family are always up to some interesting things. Here is what they have been up to recently. What fun... but it has to be hot over the last few days. Anyone up for some baseball fun?

Subject: Iron Pigs baseball this week
http://www.dbulls.com/
http://www.ironpigsbaseball.com/

Hello to all you baseball fans out there....

My cousin Chris Richard is the first baseman for the Durham Bulls. The Durham Bulls are the AAA team for the Tampa Bay Rays. (Chris is my mom's brother's son.)

This week the Bulls play in Allentown against the AAA team for the Phillies which is the called Iron Pigs.
Last night Chris Richard hit another homerun. He's leading the league in homeruns!
The Bulls lost to the Iron Pigs 4-2, but it was a great game.

If you want to see a game, it's easy to get to....Coca-Cola Stadium is really neat and it's brand new. Check out the website. It took us just over an hour to get to the park. We left here about 4:30 and arrived at 5:40. Gates open at 6pm.
Easy directions are on the website.

There's a game tonight at 7:05, Wednesday night at 7:05, and Thursday morning at 11am.
It's a lot like a Blue Rocks game, but you get to see the Iron Pig mascots...which is sort of a treat. (?)
Tickets are cheap...like $6.00 and all the seats are good ones.

Chris was just in the All-Star game. He's #27.

Giving this a try!

Well, I am starting out my blog to give this a try. Hopefully, students and parents will try it out too.
I want to hear about your summer. What have you been doing with your time?
Reading, computers, family, travel.... can you believe that in a few weeks you will know who you will have for the new school year.
Let me know how you like blogging...
Well.... let's get this started. I am looking forward to hearing your comments.