The World:"Tag Your It!" Me: "You can't Tag Me, I'm On BASE!!"

The Conversation I have been Having Lately:

The World:"Tag Your It!" 

Me: "You can't Tag Me, I'm On BASE!!"

But what does it mean to be "on base" ?  Does it mean refuge?  Does it mean safety?  Does it mean that you are in a place where no one can get you, even if they try?  Who came up with the idea?

I certainly don't think it was adults.  I believe, from watching my children, that they have had this concept and we stole it from them.  Kids acknowledge the need to take a break from all of the craziness of the game, and therefore invented base.  They do this in their lives as well.  When my four year old is tired, and the world has taken all that she has to give: she just sleeps.  Children seem to inherently know when they've has enough and they are wise enough to listen to their bodies.  Do we do that?  Rarely!

There are some exceptions of people that I know who have learned how to say, enough world.. I'm on base.  My goal for 2012 has been to find a way to get on base and stay there as long as productively possible.  This is a very find balance.  First I had to determine where base it.  And I must say that I have two bases.  Jesus and Jim :)  My family is awesome, and they are the people that I go to all of the time, and they in their own ways are bases too.  But there is not other bases like the fore mentioned. 

Jesus is my primary base.  He is there for me whenever and wherever I am.  I can take his truths with me where ever I go, and they never steer me wrong.   That doesn't mean I always listen to them.. I am learning (still after all of these years).  This Lenten season I have reflected on the man of Jesus Christ, and how spectacular of a person he would have been to walk with in the flesh.  However, I do feel as if he walks with me and that is groovy beyond words! 

Then there is Jim.  I got the idea of this blog when I was having a brief conversation with him this afternoon.  Emma and Noah are both sick, and I wanted to call and update him on their status.  He was busy so the time wasn't there for the conversation.  I asked him to call me back, because " I just wanted to touch base" .

"I just wanted to touch base" is a phrase that I have said to Jim for years.  Pretty much since I was 16.  Even during brief period of not dating, we would always touch base.  Now this phrase is often said amongst friends,  family or even co-workers to  convey the very gist of what was happening.. a sort of briefing of events.  And I will be honest, there are times THAT is what couples conversations can easily become.  "an evening update,.. this just in, your daughter attempted to use her skirt as a parachute and we were able to stop her just in time"  also "In other news, we are out of milk, toilet paper and dog food" .  But then there is the moment when the world is getting ready to tag me...

Just when the world almost tags  me, BASE !  Jim is my base.. and I think that is why we are such an awesome couple, and have been successful at making farming work.  Its not perfect, but when I look back at the accomplishments we have made, I think we have done so well because we are each others bases.  Here's to keeping agriculture strong, and here's to my base on earth! :)

World:  "Tag your it!" Me: You can't Tag me, I have the best base you could ask for! 

Meeting Bill Nye

Yesterday I was given the opportunity to meet the man who has helped make science so available and understandable to so many of my students.  Bill Nye, the science guy, was a wonderful speaker, sharing so much of his background and his views of the responsibilities of the current and future generations.  He challenged us to "save the world" and yet did not give us the instructions on how to do this.

Frustrating?  Not at all!  It is right in line with everything that we, as science teachers and scientists, preach.  THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD!!!!  Remember all of those posters you would see in the science classrooms about the scientific method?  Observations, problem statement, hypothesis, background research, observations, experimental design, experimentation, more observations, analysis, conclusion and then share with everyone and "SAVE THE WORLD" !!

Among his captivating stories of his family's background, his personal journey and lots of sundial references, the theme that overtook the evening was:  "its up to us".  This seems so cliche, but in reality it is the truth beyond truth. 

Projections show that our population with be at 12 billion in less then 50 years, that is a lot of people to feed, and enormous about of energy to be spent and an unfathomable amount of diapers (sorry.. gotta remember that I have small children).  How do we deal with the needs of the people, the needs of environment and the needs of the Earth?  Well, as Bill put it last night, the earth will be just fine.  Actually the way the earth is going, it will become quite nice for cockroaches, rats and jellyfish.  The problem is, I really want humans to have the opportunity to hang around a long while.

Therefore, I challenge you, come up with a way to reduce our energy usage, research it, and then.. SAVE THE WORLD!!!!

Ohio eTech Adventure

Well, this year like every year finds me on Sunday night unable to sleep! Why? Because I am so incredibly excited to share with my fellow teachers of Ohio what we have been doing in class.  There is so much more that I could be doing (which is why I am so excited to learn as much as possibe from everyone else)  That being said.. I think I have stumble onto something really good.. and easy.. and life applicable.  So, I am sure that I should organize my links for my presentation in some format of ease.. which is the reason for this blog.  Here are the links that I used, and/or referred to within my presentation.  If you have any questions, suggestions or comments for me please feel free to email or tweet.

My email: n.gordon-coy@svlocal.org

The starting video: The Social Media Revolution is an excellent video to get people pumped about using social media.  Granted.. it is targeted for marketing.  But the way I look at it, education is a highly specialized for of marketing.  The link for that is Social Media Revolution  I have a student who, after seeing this.. said he felt that he had was in an African village where water had just been delivered... :)  I agree.. social media can be very revitalizing!

I don't think I need to list the twitter address, but for the sake of spelling it all out, just go to twitter.com and create an account. 

I'm not sure if I'll get the chance to talk much about google + but, here is a great quick video that explains the differences between facebook and google +  Google plus video

The main source of my presentation is the Ohio Farm Bureau's Social media Guide.  This frequently updated document has been a huge help to me as I learn my way through all of the different Social Media's out there.  OFBF SM Guide

I am looking forward to sharing and talking with you if you stop by! :) 3:45 Monday, Feb 13, 2012 Union B :)

The stress of stress :)

I am sitting here in my teacher desk, observing my students take their midterm exam.  I will be the first to admit that I am not what I would consider a difficult teacher.  I try to listen to my students, understand the stresses that they going through and set them up for a situation where they can be successful.  That being said.. it is exam week and students are under an extreme amount of stress.  Why?  The exam I am giving is not hard in my opinion, but fair.  They are given a 5 question curve off the top to account for questions that they may not know, and the mother of all gifts: ITS OPEN NOTES and TESTS!!!!   This all being taken into account, what result to I get?  Well.. They are still taking it so I cannot tell you, but I can say that the students are all focused, I haven't seen any wondering eyes, and the best part: 45 minutes into the exam and no one has turned it in yet.  I generally always have 3-4 students who fly through it, not caring about what their score is in the end.  I think this is because they feel like they don't have a hope or a prayer.  But allowing my students to use their notes (a product of their efforts through the semester) and their former tests (if they took the time to correct them, they are smiling right now)  has empowered them in a way that I have never seen.  I am not saying that all teachers should make all exams open notes, open former tests or let them know there is a curve right off the bat.. but for my students it has allowed them to get rid of "the stress.. of stress" and settle into a true assessment of their character and ability.   I love my job! I may not be the most conventional teacher on the block, and some may ridicule my strategy.. but if each of their parents could see them right now.. and effort that they are putting into this exam, I think they would be proud.