IT BEGINS

It has been an amazing school year already and it is only week 4!!! I am teaching an extended schedule just like last year so it is difficult to make time to blog. However, I cannot possibly give up journaling about what goes on in Rm 103 so I will post when I can.

So far this year, I have introduced the newly restructured, all improved Blackboard aided Hybrid course to my students. I am very excited about sharing each online chapter with them, because there are goodies at every turn. Each year, the students seem to accept this learning option, more and more. I have 99% freshmen this year and I am really glad they are the first to see this new version of my World History Hybrid course.

Right now about 92% of my students are actively hitting the blackboard website almost every day. I have even seen a hike in numbers of students using Blackboard who do not have internet access at home. Student of different learning styles and academic levels are finding useful online resources on Bboard to help them learn.

This week, we used the new high school iPod lab to take online quizzes. The feedback from the students was surprisingly very positive. More and more students feel more comfortable with the idea of taking academic assessment on a gadget they normally used for entertainment. Like last year, the students will have the also be taking quizzes and test from home....They absolutely LOVED this idea....I absolutely LOVE them for LOVING this idea...LOL!

GOOD BYE HONG KONG

I was sad leaving Hong Kong because I had such an amazing experience. I also wished I could stay another couple of months to really get to know this place. I am still pinching myself every day to convince myself that I really had this experience...the phone call, the excitement, the rock star treatment, the people, sights...this stuff only happens in movies!
In this video footage, you can see the extent of Honk Kong proper.

Good bye Honk Kong...I will see you again!

Found Jackie!!

Many of you know that Jackie Chan is one of my all time favorite mega celebs. He is from Hong Kong...I didn't see him (sigh!) but this was close enough! Yeeey!

Victoria Bay

Woah!!!

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BAMBOO SCAFFOLDING???

Man, Hong Kong's skyline is dominated by some of the world's tallest buildings. However, the city still uses bamboo scaffolding for much of its construction work – a traditional skill passed down over 5000 years.
As you know, bamboo is sustainable, lightweight and cheap and, as long as it remains fairly dry, a good construction material with significant mechanical properties. Researchers, engineers, environmentalists and bureaucrats have taken an increasing interest in the craft, such that regulations and practice continue to be improved and refined.

Hong Kong obviously does not have the safety and structural design codes that we do here in the US. However, the bamboo structures seem pretty sturdy and safe. Bamboo is a weed and it grows very quickly so there is tons of this recyclable resource everywhere here in China.....Brilliant!!

This stalls where squeezed in a small alley!

Gold Fish for sale by the hundreds!

Meat and Fish also sold here way into the nightlll

On of the most amazing things about Hong Kong is, of course, the flea markets. There are markets for everything: Bird Market, Gold Fish Market, Ladies Market, etc... Locals and tourist make shopping a favorite past time here in Hong Kong. In fact, Hong Kong is know as the world's best shopping destination. People from all over Asia, come to Hong Kong just to shop!

These markets stretch for blocks with hundreds of stalls selling all kinds of cheap merchandise. There re also food stalls (many specializing in seafood), plus a few fortune tellers and palm readers that add to the exotic atmosphere of HK.

Unfortunately I did not have too much time to shop. I intended to shop for a couple of hours but I found myself walking and walking because I wanted to see it all and take hundreds of pictures. I will have to shop on my next visit to HK

T
It is simply amazing what happens when teachers are allowed to do what they do best which is create and teach. The presentations and projects I saw today were simply mind blowing. I want to be a student in so many of these teachers' classrooms!!! Teachers from all over the world are working to better the education for their students and I hope administrators and politicians begin supporting what we do

Microsoft Innovative Teacher Forum 2oo8

D-Day

With everything ready and on hand, we got on the bus today and headed to the Asia World Expo center to prepare our presentations. Everyone was really nervous because a lot of work has gone into many of these projects.
The Asia World Expo center is about 40 minutes away from HK proper and it is like the Lansing Civic Center (a convention center) times like...dunno...25? There is even a train station inside that to take people to and fro down town Hong Kong. I don't really think I have ever been in a building this big other than an airport.

In the video, you can see the hype and buzz and everyone setting up their booths for the judges. The coolest part of this day, for me was all the booth hoping I got to do. I really didn't have time to stop at everyone's booth because it was so easy to get absorbed into a conversation/discussion about any given presentation in any of the stations. There were so many questions to ask, business cards to exchange and amazing ideas to be amazed by that I think I only got to maybe 5 or 6 booths on this first day.