Oh Come On!

Seriously, what is the point of having a computer lab with computers that have:

no mouse
no keyboard
no cable to the internet
have a cable, but for some reason can't access the internet

(you can choose any or all of the above)

There are absolutely AMAZING things my kids can be doing online... and I can't do them, because a third of the class can't get online.  I am going to explode!  Am I really supposed to buy computer mice out of my own pocket???

How interesting...

I think its really interesting that Mr. Photo's student teacher keeps coming to me for ideas and stuff.  He's been teaching this for 8 million years, and I have logged, oh, 5 days.  I think he's just throwing her out there and expecting her to know what she's supposed to do instinctively.  I feel bad for her.  I'm more than happy to share my floundering with her.

I'm enjoying this immensely.  Who knew.  But I know my first love is still math.  A friend called me last night to help her son over the phone, and I loved it.  Someone posted an equation to factor on their blog and I sat there until I figured it out, and then felt all proud of myself.  I am a geek.  I say it proudly!

Day Two

Much better day today.  Mr Photo updated the fancy computers so I could actually let students use them.  (Gasp!  What heresy!)  His student teacher seemed a bit frazzled at being thrown to the wolves, but I assured her that I probably knew less about photography than she did, and was pretty sure I could muddle through just fine.  Told her I'd pass along any treasures I found to her.

Most kids had cameras and pictures, so we spent a lot of time setting up folders and passing around the two cheap-o card readers I picked up at Walmart.  Then I showed them a couple little tips to get them started in Photoshop and let them go.  Let a few go out to take pictures, and they came back right when they were supposed to.  Everyone was on task, working, playing with photoshop.  Seems like a successful day to me.

Except the one poor girl who got really frustrated and went and sat in a comfy chair halfway through class.  Asked her about it at the end of class and she blamed it on her period coming.  Lol.  Don't know if I ever would have admitted such a thing to my high school teachers.  I'll have to remember to sit down with her tomorrow and see if we can't figure some stuff out together.

Good day!

Call Tech Support!

So its the first day of class, and I tell the kids to start up their computers and direct them to the website address.

"My computer says it can't access the internet"
"I don't have a mouse"
"My browser keeps shutting down"

AUGH!

Stupid Mac Lab!  I get the impression that
a) the usual photography teacher protects the mac lab like its his secret hideout and doesn't want anyone poking around
b) our tech support team (its one very nice lady!) is a PC person

The PC lab has the newest version of photoshop, but I can't use it right now.  The mac lab is cooler... or at least it would be if all the computers could access the internet or functioned properly.

So, day one was a bit of a flop.  Plus only about a third of the kids actually had their cameras with them so my "Spend the rest of class taking pictures" didn't even apply to everyone.  Oh boy.

Its day one, it will get better.  At least the kids seemed mostly happy to see me...lol...

Epic Math Fail!

My daughter, the senior, pointed out to me that yesterday was a palindrome day.  01.02.2010

I was completely unaware.

It is almost as bad as forgetting pi day... almost.

I'm wondering if I need to return my NCTM card to someone.

I have to wait until next year November for the next one (11.02.2011), and if I forget that one, its another 9 years or so.  (02.02.2020)  At least I think it is.  My math seems to be escaping my brain.

Someone made a joke about palindrome day being the day the robotic Sarah Palin army invades. lol