Becky Perkins

Growing tired of the same routine all year, I am obsessed with trying to flip my classroom, I don't quite foresee the kinks that Common Core will throw at me. I struggle with the new curriculum and introducing technical applications.

I am not an impostor attempting to drown education with a flood of technology.

In the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, the Pumpkin King is bored with his old routines in Halloween Town. He gets a glimpse Christmas Town and decides it would be much better to be Santa Claus. He hatches a plan, kidnaps Santa and tries to step into his shoes.  Jack Skellington is shot down as he rides a coffin driven by skeleton reindeer across the sky. In the end, Jack is not successful, but is happy with who he is, and Santa holds no hard feelings.

My re-write, would change the ending.  Because ultimately, I want to be successful in my endeavors. (I want to be the King of Halloween Town and Santa too) However, to be successful, I will really have to integrate a great deal of content across multiple subject areas. I will have to utilize what is already out there and be willing to collaborate and sometimes step outside of my comfort zone.

I have since started doing more project based learning, approaching instruction as a unit of study rather than an individual lesson. I think it is easier to integrate a variety of subjects within projects. I can incorporate, all areas of language arts, science, and social studies within these projects. (Which currently seem to meld better with the Common Core Curriculum Guides) My students are able to utilize technology as a tool for researching, learning, and presenting. I hope my class will be able to understand how technology can make them more efficient learners.