My Evil Spawn missed 3 days of school this week.

Much to our surprise she wasn’t suspended.  Just sick. 

Maybe the suspension will come later.  Or maybe she will just be incredibly sneaky and not get caught.  Either way, any chance of her having perfect attendance is gone.

Someone will undoubtedly email me to let me know that I’m way too negative when I blog about my Evil Spawn/daughter (odds are the email will be long, angry, hate-filled, use abusive language, and question my ability to parent… and it’s 50/50 that it will be from her mother).

I’m not negative.  I’m a realist.

While she is a very good little girl (even though she thinks she’s 37 and my boss), there is no doubt in my mind that she will have some ups and downs as she makes her way through what will no doubt be several school systems (some she may leave… some she may be asked to leave…).

I’m the exact opposite of those parents who think their kids will never do anything wrong.

My job is not to make excuses for her.  It’s to help prepare her to deal with the mistakes (and trust me, they are coming… between the ages of 12-18… in bunches).

At least for this week, no suspension.  Just sick.

Much to our surprise she didn’t have the Swine Flu.  Not that we would know because we are way too cheap to shell out the cash to have her tested for H1N1.

So we just decided it wasn’t the Pig Disease (really no different than people deciding they have it…).

She had a sore throat, headache, high temperature, and was really lazy.  Although it’s hard to tell if the lazy thing was part of the illness or just regular behavior.

Since she didn’t feel well, it meant one of us had to stay with her.  Evidently, the government has some sort of rule that says little girls can’t stay at home by themselves and watch 72 straight hours of Nickelodeon unless they are accompanied by an adult.

This makes no sense to me, but neither did all of the financial bailouts.

We have a system at our house in which we take turns staying home on the spawn’s sick days.

Since I lost the coin flip, I got days 1 and 3.  My wife got day 2.

I learned a lot during my 48 hour stretch in sick prison.

One Regis Philbin has dyed his hair a disturbing color of dark brown.  This would have been appropriate about 60 years ago (when he was 18).

Secondly, thermometers have come a long way.  I had no idea the ones with batteries were so easy to us.

When I was a kid, my mom stuck a cold glass tube that was filled with mercury in my mouth.  I then had to hold it under my tongue (while gagging) for 37 straight minutes.

That’s if I was lucky.

If I wasn’t lucky she stuck it someplace besides my mouth.

I would blog about these incidents, but I’ve done my best to suppress most of those memories.

In today’s world of technology, kids can take their own temperature.  Which mine did about every 8 minutes (during each and every commercial break).

While her temperature went up and down, she wasn’t sick sick.  I was very thankful for that.

I want to be a good dad, but I’m not overly interested in the throwing up process.

Evil Spawn calls this “spilling”.

The very first time she got sick (at the age of 2… or 7… if you need to know the exact time line you will have to ask her mom… I’m just the dad), she was so apologetic for “spilling” and making a mess on the floor.

And on her pajamas.

And the couch.

And the windows.

And the ceiling.

You have probably figured out why I’m not a big fan of the “sick” sick.

The third and last thing I learned was even when you aren’t at work, you are still at work.

While technology has made thermometers better, it hasn’t improved some other parts of my life.  Like making things simpler.  I thought the ability to access information, email, and be in constant contact was supposed to help.

It doesn’t.

A sick day used to mean I was totally cut off from the world for a day (or in this case, two days).

There was something peaceful about that.  It made you slow down.  And rest. 

And enjoy the Price is Right uninterrupted.

It today’s world, you just keep going.

And going.

And going.

It’s almost like there isn’t time to be sick.

Comments: 4
Tags: Evil Spawn/Daughter, Nickelodeon, price is right, Regis Philbin, Technology, thermometers

This blog is a continuation of my previous attempts to convince school administrators to use technology.

All of the following could be considered part of my overall master plan to convince the masses about the importance of technology. Or it could be a desperate plea that will likely fall on deaf ears. Only time will tell.

Guest Blog (We are in Charge Now!) – The Secret to Better Technology in Schools.

Tech Geeks vs. The Suits.

So You Want to be a Big-Time Blogger?

2009 is the Year of the Blog.

An Open Letter to Superintendents and Principals: You Should Blog.

Best case, administrators from all over the country are mesmerized by the genius of my blogs and start using technology at a record pace.

Worst case, I continue writing (I just cracked myself up…. this can hardly be considered “writing”… more like incoherent babbling) about technology so often that administrators start using more technology in the hope I will just shut up.

Either way, I figure it is a win-win for students. And it keeps me off the streets.

A couple weeks ago (that is how far I am behind), I was reading an internet article about 10 Technologies About to Go Extinct.

The article was about how technology sensations eventually get overtaken by new faster, better, sleeker technologies.

Their list (Foxnews.com… which as always is Fair and Balanced… there I go… cracked myself up again):

1. Landline phones

2. Floppy disks

3. Wristwatches

4. VHS Tape and VCRs

5. Beepers

6. Film Cameras

7. Typewriters

8. The Walkman

9. Dial-up Internet

10. DVDs

After reading this, I once again realized I could be getting old. I can remember all of these items. Worse yet, I still have some of them.

The rundown:

1. I still have a landline phone. Hopefully Google Voice will help me pull the trigger on getting rid of this. It’s time.

2. I have to admit…haven’t seen a floppy disk in years. I’m not even a fan of flash drives. Thank you Google docs.

3. Wristwatches. Love them. I would be a collector if I made more money. They will have to pry one off my cold dead wrist before I give it up. Although, I never look at it. I do have a clock on my laptop and cell phone after all.

4. VHS Tape and VCRs. Still have them and they are drawing dust. The DVR is the world’s greatest invention. Up to now.

5. Beeper. Never owned one. My parents didn’t want to lose me in a gangland style killing.

6. Film Cameras. I have noticed I’m a much better photographer with a digital camera.

7. My first opportunity at a real career, typewriter repairman. Loved typing class in high school. Don’t miss the whiteout.

8. The Walkman was cool. I don’t care what anyone says. And so was my Flock of Seagulls cassette tape.

9. I hated Dial-up Internet. Even when it was brand new and cutting edge, we knew it was slow. What kind of technology is that?

10. DVD’s. Never understood this. Who has time to watch movies? And who buys the movie and watches it more than once?

I think there is a lesson to be learned in almost every situation and this is no different.

From this list it is painfully obvious that technology always advances. If something better hasn’t come along, it is on its way.

How do we take this lesson and apply it to schools?

Educators are going through a phase where we are teaching (in some cases forcing) staff members to learn about email, Google docs, SmartBoards, Moviemaker, YouTube and other assorted technology programs.

This is wonderful, but I think we need to look at a much bigger picture.

We can’t just teach teachers how to use specific programs and then walk away. Those technologies are going to change. It might be in 5 years, or a year, or in 10 minutes, but they are going to become obsolete.

Everything does.

As administrators, IT people, and technology trainers, we have to get our teachers comfortable with technology. Not just learning certain steps to create a project or use a computer program.

We can’t be helping people with their email folders 5 years from now.

They must feel comfortable helping themselves.

Then they can truly help their students.

Note from Editor in Chief… a.k.a. Wife: AMEN!

Comments: 8
Tags: school technology, Teachers, Technology

After editing 200 blogs of PrincipalsPage ramblings, I have decided that the Wife/Mother-In-Law Team needs a chance to speak. I mean come on…
Don’t I get a reward for constantly correcting semicolons and the incorrect use of to, too, and two?

Honestly, how can a man rise from coach/teacher to administrator in a few short years with only one opinion on the use of the English language?
I quote, “The semi-colon is by far the coolest of all punctuation!”
I mean seriously, who ranks punctuation by coolness?
Note from PrincipalsPage:
(I do not apologize for my love of the semi-colon… and I might add… I am a huge fan of the asterisk***)

Of course, we shouldn’t judge. One of us married him.

So, with that being said…

We present Recess TEC as the first official “Guest bloggers“.
(Note from PrincipalsPage… quite possibly the last

In the struggle between the TECH GEEKS VS. THE SUITS, another adversary needs to be included.
This adversary could be the one to bring peace to the land…
with an “and they all lived happily ever after” ending.
This adversary is (insert drum roll and “dah-da da da”)…
IT.

We would define “The Suits” as (in some cases add “dearly beloved, but ignorant of all things technology”) the administration.
We would define “Tech Geeks” as the teachers and students who want to include technology in the curriculum, use as much technology as possible in their everyday lives,
and see it as a highly motivating factor to enhance teaching and learning.

Enter the IT. “Dr. No” if you will.
(Notice, we did not say “Dr. Evil”.)
IT’s #1 priority is to keep the server alive and well to handle the administration’s email.
Priority #2 is to NOT lose any file stored there.
And finally, #3 – NO VIRUS…EVER!

Nobody and nothing is allowed to slow down the server.
We mean NOBODY and NOTHING
Don’t even get us started on bandwidth.

Anything Google slows it down.
Anything Skype slows it down.
Anything that involves long distance collaboration slows it down.
Anything that includes the word “streaming” slows it down.

We believe that the more things slowing it down, the more the students benefit…which in turn means the server space and bandwidth needs to be “supersized”.
We know…now we are talking money.
We would be willing to give up the chalk and dry eraser marker budget in exchange for a little more server space.
Anyone else?

Things we hear from the IT:

“Google Earth? You don’t need it. You have maps.”
“SmartBoards? Why? You have white-boards and all you will use it for is to show movies on a big screen.”
“Pandora.com? (Add indignant tone.) The teacher’s desk is the first place we see it. You can’t control what is being played…a song with inappropriate content might pop-up.”
“I don’t want my teachers to have wikis/blogs/podcasts/webpages (insert any other web 2.0 tool here) because I can’t control the content.”
“It slows down the bandwidth.”
“It takes up server space.”

Enter “Recess TEC” to the rescue.
Now it is time to bring to reality “Why can’t we just all get along?”
Pull up a chair and sit down. (Coffee, anyone?)
We need all of you in the same room together. (Even if it means providing chocolate or a continental breakfast or a steak dinner with mixed cocktails )
Teachers.
Suits.
Tech-geeks.
IT.
Possibly even a few tech-geeky students. (”Ixnay on the ixedmay ocktailscay…”)

It is time to watch, listen, and talk.

Google everything.
We mean EVERYTHING!

And SMARTBoards in every single classroom.
YES! Even the music and art rooms!

And tons of bandwidth.
And HUGE servers.

And finally.
Teach the teachers.
Let them do what they have been trained to do.
Teach.
Teach them to teach with technology.
And let them be the filters and decide what is best for their students and their curriculum.
Help them understand that technology is not an addition to the curriculum.
It is not the time to take the students to the lab where their students log on, work individually on a website, while teachers grade papers.
Teach teachers to integrate, collaborate, and to become proactive.
After all,
that is what they were hired to do in the first place.
and finally,
trust them.
Trust them to do no harm.

Which means…

No Internet Filters on computers when TEACHERS are logged in. That’s right. No filters.

Teachers are the BEST filters (if they are engaged with students… which means stand up and walk around the room).
And if they prove NOT TO BE…
then slam that filter right back into place.
Abuse it = lose it.
Show teachers how to use sites like Flickr and You Tube SAFELY.
We are not saying, turn the kids loose on whatever site they want.
We want to protect kids, but we also want to motivate and engage them!

Communication together is the key to solving all of these issues.
We need to be in the same room to see what is out there and how it best can be used.
And it should never be Suits Vs. Geeks.
Or ANYONE VS. ANYONE.
Let’s work together and put the puzzle together piece by piece.
Let the teachers show the IT department (especially the ones that may have never taught) HOW the technology is being used in the classroom.
Let the IT department show the teachers why things are structured as they are.
Most teachers know very little behind what it takes to do your job.

The dialogue should include,
“We didn’t know you wanted that.”
“I can do that for you.”
“I didn’t know that was out there.”
“Will you help me with that?”

Inservice.
Inservice.
Inservice.

Share.
Share.
Share.

And finally, show by example.

(Recess TEC is also known as Recess Web Design…but doing more and more Technology Educational Consulting and less and less Web Design.)

**Note: This blog was collaborated over a 60 mile distance and written using Google Docs without filters.

Comments: 19
Tags: guest blog, school technology, Technology

I spent my weekend at a convention. Actually, I shouldn’t use the word weekend because that implies restful time away from my job.

But all is not lost as Thanksgiving Break is right around the corner. And I might add that it comes at a perfect time.

It was a stroke of genius when our early settlers decided that schools needed to take time off in late November.

As a kid, I had no idea that the Pilgrims were so well-versed on the academic calendar. I thought they were simply people who looked good in hats, enjoyed big meals, and loved their football (and by football, I don’t mean the Detroit Lions).

While I am tired, I did learn a few things at the convention.

I learned that I miss my bed, refrigerator, and shower.

In the past I have talked about the horrors of hotels, so I won’t bore you with the details of sleeping in a bed that has previously been “occupied” by thousands of strangers (I am sure some were more strange than others, but I try not to focus on that little tidbit of information).

But missing my refrigerator and shower are different. These are issues that need to be addressed.

I mean I really missed them.

It amazes me that people can eat out all the time. After a couple of days, I find myself just wanting an apple or a sandwich. Or 27 Oreos, but that discussion is for a different day.

Also, the showers in hotel rooms continue to be a riddle to me. Why do they always run out of hot water? Don’t hotels realize a large number of guests will be bathing between 6:00 and 8:00 a.m.?

It is like they are surprised. Like we snuck up on them. They must know we are all going to wake up at some point and wander into the bathroom.

But, these are minor inconveniences as I attended the convention to learn. Specifically, I was hopeful to pick up some new information about technology for my school.

It didn’t happen, but I feel like I did my part. I showed up. Which for a lot of convention attendees seems to be a challenge.

Educators always say they want to go to conventions and then once they arrive they work so hard at not attending workshops. Why is that?

Maybe they should hold these events in North Dakota instead of nicer places (let the emails from North Dakota commence…).

Actually, I wish the presenters had showed up.

Actually, that is a little harsh. They were there and they did their best.

It’s just that they presented the same information I have heard over and over for the last few years.

Our students are farther advanced in technology than adults. Educators should allow cell phones in schools because they are mini-computers. We should use Skype because it is free (we do and yes it is). Schools need to be proactive, not reactive to changes in technology.

I get it.

Enough already.

I need tips or strategies to implement technology and not the same old rehashed PowerPoint presentation with 187 slides (by the way… I can read, so you don’t have to pronounce every word on every single slide for me).

If I seem angry that is because I am (see: not sleeping in own bed and haven’t had a decent cookie in days not to mention the dodging of so many PowerPoint bullets).

I know we are falling behind with technology in schools, but now I am convinced we may be falling behind in presenters.

Just because someone is willing to talk into a microphone doesn’t mean we should allow them (see: President George Bush… let the emails from North Dakota Republicans commence…).

Not everyone talking into a microphone is an expert.

Point in case: a new principal handing the mic to a sophomore on the football team during a prep rally. Bad idea.

Really bad idea.

I would like to comment further on this, but once again a court order prevents me.

Same goes for presenters. We need to be more careful as to whom we allow to use the microphone.

Just because someone has a snappy title for the presentation, doesn’t mean their information is timely and high quality.

Could it be possible they are just there to pad their resumes? Which for the record, I am all for… just not on my time (note to self… update resume on someone else’s time).

I don’t mean to sound ungrateful for their efforts because I am sure they spent a great deal of time putting their PowerPoint together (after all 187 slides just don’t just write themselves… especially if each one has 97 words in a really small font…did I mention the bullets?).

Plus, they had to spend several minutes downloading the “Did You Know” video off of YouTube.

Great video, but is there anyone involved in education who hasn’t seen it? And by seen it, I mean at least 10 times.

I think we have to be more particular to whom we listen regarding issues in education.

If we aren’t careful, soon everyone will have a platform. People will be just throwing out ideas with no rhyme or reason.

Trust me, this could get bad.

The government will start coming up with half thought ideas about testing, administrators will begin to think that their every thought is ingenious, and maybe… just maybe people will start up their own blogs just to shove their ideas down our throats.

These people will believe they are experts just because they have an audience.

I am not sure I like where this is heading.

But oh well, I have problems of my own.

I have a blog to finish, then I need to wrap up a PowerPoint.

Only 186 slides to go.

I am thinking about using lots of clip art, hundreds of bullets, and a bunch of transition sounds.

Wait a second.

It just occurred to me. I’m an expert.

I may need business cards and a manager.

And of course, I am going to need a microphone.

Comments: 7
Tags: Holidays, microphone, pep rally, PowerPoint, presenters, school technology, Technology, thanksgiving

I am here to push the nation’s schools forward with their use of technology. Sure it sounds like a big job, but society is in luck as I have 20 minutes to waste.

Yes, you read correctly, I am going to change the educational world in 20 minutes because I am bored (if it is any consulation, I am seeing a therapist…or 7).

It is possible that I am simply trying to fill up space on the Blog. Or I could be a raving lunatic administrator with anger issues. You can be the judge (my wife has already voiced her opinion… she said lunatic, with a little bit of sad and pathetic mixed in).

The question at hand (until I think of a better one on which to hyperfocus): Should schools spend more time teaching technology? And if so, what subject area should be dropped from the curriculum to make room for more time in the computer lab?

After mulling these two questions over for literally 19 seconds (I have a snazzy running watch with a timer) and poring over exactly no scientific evidence, I have come to the following conclusions.

I vote yes to more technology and vote to drop spelling like a bad habit (much like Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s wife is going to drop him once a huge settlement is reached).

You have probably noticed that my conclusions to complex problems are extremely well thought out. Or not. It is my Blog, so I feel comfortable drawing any conclusion I want with no regard to using an actual process (or facts… or common sense).

Why have I concluded schools need to teach more technology and less spelling? It is quite simple, really. Because technology is cool and I hate spelling.

You must admit, you don’t get this type of insight by taking college courses or by reading some of the fancy educational blogs.

In the last few years it has become apparent to me that some schools do not see the need to focus classroom time on technology.

I hate to break the news to everyone, but I am pretty sure technology isn’t a fad. I don’t think it is going to disappear in 3 years as educators move on to the next magic pill.

In my mind (however cloudy) it is more important than a pencil and a piece of paper.

It will not be a small part of our student’s lives; it will be their lives.

How do I know? Because everything we do in life is now based on technology.

Just a few examples are a trip to the ATM; banking on line; taking a trip by airplane; working on a car engine; renewing your drivers license; and using the internet as our #1 source for information.

All technology; all the time. How the world has changed in the last 10 years.

This doesn’t even take into account how blogs, podcasts, streaming videos, and text messaging are becoming part of our everyday lives.

Schools have to devote more time to technology. And it needs to be integrated into every subject area, preferably on a daily basis.

How can we do that without changing how we presently teach? We can’t. That is the point.

I say drop spelling. Do we need it? After all, technology provides us with spell check.

You have to admit, the English Language is a mess.

Plus spelling got on my bad side when my elementary teachers couldn’t explain the following:

-Why knife had to start with a k

-Or the most confusing sentence of my youth… They were too close to the door to close it.

It really is exhausting being me.

Spelling is an exercise in confusion. I say get rid of it.

Or, better yet we can teach students to spell by using technology (here is a free plug for SpellingCity.com).

I think I made my point and helped society, all in less than 20 minutes (without spell check, this Blog would have taken much longer, although it wouldn’t have made any more sense).

Comments: 4
Tags: ATM, school technology, spelling, spelling bee, spellingcity.com, Technology

Technology is changing fast. I often wonder how schools and teachers are going to keep up not only with the technology changes, but the students who seem to know more and more about computers at a much younger age.

When I graduated from high school, there was exactly one computer in the entire school district. A Commodore 128 if I remember correctly. I do recall that it was roughly the same size as my first car. But even though my friends and I weren’t sure what a computer could do for us, we knew it was cool.

It was located in the business classroom, right next to the typing room where I spent a semester learning to type on electric typewriters (half the time- the other half you spent on a manual typewriter which required the upper body strength of an Olympic weightlifter to return the carriage).

I hope carriage is the proper term, our teacher made us memorize all of the parts of a typewriter. I wondered at the time if she assumed all 20 of us were going into the very high demand field of typewriter repair? I think I may have missed my career calling by about 40 years.

Back then (like the mid 80’s were the 12th century) technology consisted of a film projector and some sort of copying machine thing in the lounge that would make your hands blue from the ink (that is if you could stay in the lounge long enough that the cigarette smoke didn’t make you pass out). But I digress.

Technology continues to advance at an unbelievable rate and we as individuals and schools do our best to keep up. I am an example of this. I have made it all the way from staring at a Commodore computer in 1985 to writing a blog that is read by at least 2 people (at least 1 of which I am not related to).

Schools face the challenge of not only purchasing and replacing technology on a yearly basis, but training staff to use it, and educating teachers to teach it.

At what point will we, as educators, not be able to keep up? When will the time come that students arrive for their kindergarten year and they already know more about computers and technology than we can teach them when they get to high school.

The average 5 year old today has a computer, IPOD, video games, big screen TV, high speed internet, a DVD player in the mini-van, and will have a cell phone before they are 10 (with ring tones, a camera, text-messaging, and the ability to download TV shows and movies- and all of these things confuse and frighten a large majority of adults over the age of 55). And on top of that in a few years all of these devices may be combined into one personal media/phone/GPS/planner/camera/screwdriver.

Can schools and teachers advance as fast as the students who attend them? I think I will go fire up the ATARI and get a game of PONG in before bed.

Comments: 9
Tags: career, PONG, Technology, typewriters

Before I start, to the person who actually read “The End of the World as We Know It”- Thanks. I appreciate you taking the time to read it and comment. However, I still don’t have a fear of getting run over by a float. Isn’t that a parental responsibility? If that did happen it would be a terrible accident, but as a parent isnst that a you problem, not a we problem?

This week my wife was nearly maimed by the kitchen light falling on her head. We live in a house that is about 3 years old and I assume the light just wasn’t installed correctly. No one’s fault, just an accident.

If she had died:

1.) it would have been awkward to explain to my second wife that it was an “accident”.

2.) should we ban kitchen lights because she was a victim of an accident?

That is a her problem, not a you problem (and it would certainly be my problem and a terrible loss to all of us….. she reads this Blog, mainly out of politeness I think). So…again, thanks again for actually reading my Blog all the way through (to think my high school English teacher said I would never amount to anything).

Now on to the next thing that has me confused (please no comments about me always being confused).

Why is it that when someone gets their first job in education they are so excited? As an administrator I consider one of the best parts of my job is getting the opportunity to hire a brand new teacher. I also think it is a big responsibility because a teacher hired for the 2007-08 school year may retire sometime around 2043.

By then, God willing, I will be 75 years old and only slightly more senile then I am now. Of course, by then I may not even know how old I am or recognize the fact that I may still be senile. I do know that at my school that will be 8 principals from now, so students and staff will have long forgotten my name (I may have also forgotten my name), but this year’s new teachers may still be working with students.

A new teacher looks forward to everything about their first teaching assignment…their new room, their own desk, getting keys to the building, a real paycheck, putting up bulletin boards, possibly even school lunch, and of course their first group of students.

Everything about the experience is positive and upbeat. They have no complaints about their schedule, or who their teaching partner is, or parents not being supportive, or the fact that they think teachers aren’t appreciated enough, or that their paycheck is too small.

A new teacher is open to advice and willing to try different things. There is no talk of “why change – that’s the way we have always done it” or “I am not going to use the computers- they will never catch on”. They are thrilled with the job, their colleagues, the kids, and the opportunity to make a difference.

This isn’t to say that veteran teachers don’t feel the same way. Many do and are a credit to education, but others may have begun to take the huge opportunity that we have been given as teachers for granted.

Many think they should get paid more, get more respect and appreciation, and maybe…just maybe…work less hours. But so should doctors, engineers, waitresses, carpenters, and the guy who changes the oil in my truck, and everyone else who works hard for a living for not nearly enough money.

Some people will say, since we work with students and are such a big part of shaping the lives of the future – we should be paid triple what we get now. I would have taken more money, but I am pretty sure I knew what my teaching salary would be when I was hired. I do recall on more than one occasion as I went through school, a teacher commenting on the fact that they didn’t get paid enough, so I was not shocked when I saw my first paycheck.

But somewhere, supply and demand comes into play. Sure, there are areas where good qualified teachers are hard to come by, but for the most part you can find a group of very good applicants for each open teaching position. If there were 50 candidates for every Neurosurgeon job, they probably wouldn’t make as much money as they do now.

It also must be human nature that over time some people begin to focus more on the things that aren’t given to us in our profession, and less about what we do get.

New teachers aren’t experienced enough to focus on what is not good about their job; they are too busy looking at the good side, they only see a chance to make a real difference.

Maybe we should all take a moment at the start of each school year to reflect on the excitement that new teachers possess and we undoubtedly had at the beginning of our careers.

Comments: 3
Tags: Administrators, new teachers, Teachers, Technology