 Professional Goals: I will graduate with a Masters of Education Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University - St. Paul during the summer of 2010. My capstone project can be viewed at Efolio MN. After my graduation, I will continue to focus on improving my implementation of instructional strategies in the content area of mathematics. I have become competent in the use of a Smartboard and document camera as an instructional tools. In addition, I have an interest in the use of iPods in the classroom.
Please Comment On My Reflection By Clicking Here My Classroom: I keep my students up-to-date with classroom activities and assignments on my Moodle page. Visit my Moodle page at Mrs. Butler's Moodle page. Recently the house teachers planned a CSI House Day for our students. This is a special day where students pretend they are Investigating Crimes. We introduced house days instead of going on field trips last year. Having a special day of focused interdisciplinary study has worked well, and the no cost to students can't be beat. This house day was inspired by the CSI exhibit at the Minnesota Science Museum (lesson plans for the activities we chose and more can be found on this link).  Students work online learning crime solving techniques.  Students analyze their own finger prints. This looks like fun.  In this activity, students are responsible for ordering lab test and manage a budget. The students then interpret the result of the test they ordered by writing a report detailing what happened during the crime according to the test results.  Ms. Murphy, a Falcon Ridge Middle School teacher, is missing. The students piece together clues about her disappearance by reassembling shredded documents. Packet Preference Survey: This is a survey I give my students each year after we learn how to find a percent of a number. Students use the survey result to create a circle graph. This activity combines protractor use, percent of a number (360 degrees), and data collection skills. This activity is a winner. Summary
Personal: I am also looking forward to getting out to my garden this spring. I am currently managing as several large perennial gardens and a small vegetable garden. I installed a rain garden two summers ago with the help of the Dakota County Blue Thumb Project.  The Sunflower Block
 The Quilt: I am currently sewing a quilt with my daughter, Linda. Linda and I have made other quilts together. This quilt is a block-of-the -month quilt sponsored by Joanne Fabrics. The wild rose and square block pictured at the right is the nineth block of the series. My goal is to have the top assembled by the time I finish my master's program. Travel: Here is a video from our latest trip to Williamsburg, Va. This video was shot at the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia Beach on a cold windy day. |
Looks good way to go.