PAHS Homecoming!

Homecoming at PAHS! GO ROUGHRIDERS!

Franklin Visits

It has been a real treat to visit Franklin Elementary School Classrooms, and tomorrow I wrap up my visits. It is inspiring to observe students learning to write , enjoying math and science activities throughout their day, listening to stories being read, and reading during the Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) time. Students also are learning to tumble on the mats in their PE classes and discuss their view points on personal narratives. So far I have been able to visit 18 classes and will visit the last 6 classes tomorrow. 287-88= 199 classes to go! By tomorrow I will have completed the last 6 classes so I will have 193 classes to go! In addition we had our Japanese contingency visiting the Port Angeles School District a few weeks ago. What a fabulous experience for all of us!

Last Class Visits at PAHS/ Japanese Exchange Visit

On Wednesday and Thursday, October 7 and 8, were my last two days of visiting the High School. I was able to visit one class for each teacher over the past month. My visits this week included a couple of the Science 9 classes where observations vs inference discussions were taking place. I also was able to visit the Guidance and Counseling Office where I met a student who was planning his life after he graduates in 2010. Go Class of 2010! It was refreshing to see that when I stopped in one of the Geometry classes the students were not only excited about the subject matter, but their progress in the class as well. The NJROTC class was another opportunity that I was able to experience. Students were making sure they were ready for their inspections, and were at attention when I walked in to their class. I have completed my visits to the HS and will be heading to Franklin Elementary School beginning October 13, 2009.
287-70=217 to go!

After I left the HS, I prepared for the visitors from Japan. They arrived at the HS around 5:00 pm on thursday afternoon, and we met up with all of them at 6:30 at the Bushwacker Restaurant. It was very nice to meet them, and as they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words."

Class Visits Days 5 and 6

Day 5: On Tuesday of this past week, I visited with a teacher who lived in Madera Canyon, AZ (an area near where I spent 25 years of my educational career) for two summers as an entomologist. We had a lively discussion on the area surrounding Madera Canyon and how it has changed since he had lived there. He was also explaining plate tectonics to his students during his class. It was a very interesting time on both topics. Physics made easy...that is what I gleaned from my visit there. If one does the conversions correctly one will never have trouble understanding physics. It was amazing to watch. Additionally, in the next science class, the topic of conversation was myth busters and why experiments may or may not work. Several variables were thrown out and a lively discussion took place. Great thought processes verbalized. Teen stress and how to do deal with it was the topic in the next class, and different religions of the world were presented to students towards the end of my visit.

Day 6: As I continued my travels through the district, I was able to observe the machine shop students utilizing their skills with the lathes. Additionally, I was able to visit a geometry class who was reviewing for a quiz coming up Wednesday of this week, and of Mice and Men is being read and discussed by all 10th grade English classes. As I entered into the French IV class, a discussion was taking place in French regarding the art work that was displayed on the screen and what the meaning of the artist was who created it. It was fascinating to listen to the students and the instructor engaged in a lively conversation in French. From French I went to Spanish and that was wonderful as well, because I understood a little bit more of what was being said since living in the southwestern part of the US for such a lengthy period of time. American Studies class was discussing the reasons why Jefferson and Franklin were unhappy with their current situation. Last, I was able to visit the Klallam Language class where I was graciously invited to read their new text books and was given history on the the students were studying.

Fabulous visit both days. I am about to conclude my visitations to the HS next week as I will have been able to attend at least one class for each teacher.

I have now visited another 15 classes so I have: 257-15 = 242 classes to go!