2012 New Year's Resolutions

Time to set 2012 Resolutions:
#1 - Pass my dissertation proposal defense (probably Jan/Feb)
#2 - Finish my dissertation (probably by the end of the summer)
#3 - Graduate with my PhD (probably be the end of the summer)
#4 - Break a two hour half marathon (my record is around 2:10)
#5 - Take time to contemplate my future ...
Good luck to everyone on their resolutions!  Just believe in yourself and never, never give up!

High-Speed Video Trebuchet

This video I took a few years back.  We built catapults and trebuchets in Trigonometry class.  I love the hi-speed camera we have!  The videos are small, but you can see the details.  These videos actually helped us to perfect the design and figure out the angle of launch.

Webinar and Change

I have hosted the second of three webinars I am running this summer about connecting and collaborating using an online professional learning community (OPLC). The webinar is part of a continued effort to connect private LD schools across the country. I attended a Leadership Summit with 9 other LD schools last summer in Cambridge. The goal was to come up with an idea to pursue. The group voted on working together to try math cognitive activities with students across the schools and post the results. The efforts were a good start, but participation in the site seemed to wane as the year went on.

In spring, working with the leader of the group, I explained how important it was to start connecting teachers and students at these schools. By starting small with these connections, the word would spread and more would join. These webinars are the start of that journey. While the groups that have attended the webinars have been small, the excitement is real! This will be a year of change, of breaking out of the four walls and connecting LD schools. I feel it.

Resolution Check

Checking in on my New Year's Resolutions:

#1 - Run another marathon. CHECK

I trained hard for 17 weeks, even running 155 miles in one month! The race was on Sunday and I did amazing. I took over 40 minutes off my last time finishing in 4:28. To check full results, click here.

#2 - Complete my dissertation proposal and comps. IN PROGRESS

As it turns out, the process for dissertation involves many more hoops than I thought. First, it involves a lot of research to get a strong prospectus, then a meeting with the committee where they grill you about the topic, then a take home 3 question essay exam (written comps) which friends are saying required 10 days of intense writing to complete, then a defense of the exam (oral comps), once approved then you can write your dissertation proposal and defend that, and then you are allowed to start on your dissertation. Whew! My new goal is to get the prospectus all ready to go, take comps in October, and get dissertation approval by December.

#3 - Update my Blog on a more regular basis. NOPE, NEED TO DO

Need to work on this one. Maybe this summer ...

#4 - Write up something about the over 100 valuable websites I have for use by teachers integrating technology. NOPE, NEED TO DO

Maybe this summer ...