National Geographic Atlas Puzzles

National Geographic Atlas Puzzles is a fun app that would be great for some of my E. K. kids.
You can time yourself or challenge your friends and see how long it takes you to put together the puzzle.

The Science & Math of Basketball's 3 Point Shot

Here is a cool way to look at how Math and Science can explain how successful a player can be in making a 3 point shot. This would be a good example to show to the kids at E. K. and works as a good introduction to a simple geometry lesson for students. Do you think they would want to measure angles in the gym? Nothing ventured nothing gained right?

Caught Between Two Worlds

Do you ever feel like you are living in an alternate reality or wish you did? Today has been that kind of day. I have been at a school that I dearly love the last couple of days after being away for a month and a half (I was on Christmas break and teaching high school for a few weeks). I have made great connections with other teachers and the students in all grades and many people were happy to have me back. I have to say it was a wonderful feeling, but it's a feeling that has a twinge of sadness to it. I feel like I am a welcome guest, but still on the outside looking in because it isn't really MY school and I don't have MY OWN classroom there.

This is where the two worlds part comes in (in case you were wondering)...

On one hand it is nice to have the freedom to come and go as I please without the responsibilities of having a classroom. On the other hand I am itching to plant some roots and make a real everyday impact in a class in a school. My head and heart are overflowing with ideas that seem stuck until they can be planted somewhere - somewhere where I belong. If I could live in an alternate reality, I could have it both ways. Does that sound too melancholy? Too full of self-pity or self-serving? Sorry, it's been that kind of day - a little bittersweet.

On a completely different note, but still related to my post title...

I have watched three shows this week that have dealt with some kind of alternate reality:

1. Lost  - read recap here or if you are really brave here - two worlds happening simultaneously ~ life on the island with where they left off at the end of last season (sort of) and life if the plane never crashed.

2. Fringe  - read recap here - There are two different realities that have collided and it has literally split people apart or joined them in horrific painful ways – very crazy.

3. Caprica (the prequel series of Battlestar Galactica (that I keep meaning to watch – I have it downloaded, just need to make time to watch it) on SyFy  - read recap here - There are avatars that live in a virtual reality that is both connected and disconnected to reality.

It’s funny that there has been this recurring theme in my life and in the TV shows I have been watching. I guess life really does imitate art (in a non-science fiction kind of way for me at least).

Ok ramblings over, just a couple of questions...
Does what I’m writing make any sense and is this how most TOCs feel?

PS - Can you figure out the connections between the three series (they are linked in a 6 degrees of separation kind of way)?

Disappointing News

Well, it turns out some things don't always work out like you think it will. Go figure.

Today I found out I didn't get the High School teaching job. I knew going into it that it was quite possible I wouldn't get the job, but I had such positive feedback from the other teachers I was in contact with that it seemed like it was a real possibility. This is where experience makes a difference. It just means it was not meant to be and for the most part I am ok with that, but of course I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. I had some great ideas for what I would do if I got the position. I'll just have to try those elsewhere. So for now, onwards and upwards...

I'm still going to continue my professional development and hopefully this will allow me flexibility to do some other activities and hobbies listed in my New Year's resolutions post (none of which I have done so far and it's almost a month into the new year).