Teaching CS in Dallas

60 Minutes Piece on Internet Fraud

In case you haven't noticed, I have been a teacher for 16 years, had the second private internet account in the DFW area, and currently run a full wired and wireless net work in my house.

I'm also the campus technologist.

I am appalled by the 60 Minutes piece.  The internet is NOT a dangerous place.  Here are the problems I've accounted over the years.

Student teaching -- I did get to spend some of my student teaching time "devirusing" the computers at the school.  It was were brought in on a floppy disk by a teacher from a teacher workshop.  Yeah, I tracked it down.

My husband once infected one of his computers by using internet porn.  He learned his lesson. 

I did once pick up something for a few minutes because I was looking for a program I had purchased, had the registration code, but not the actual software but Windows Live Care took care of it.  Learned my lesson there too.

We had had our identity stolen.  Someone forged checks that had our names, phone numbers and driver's license numbers on them -- my first clue -- we've never had our driver's licenses on our checks, I want someone to make me pull the DL out before they will take the check.  I honestly don't think it was done on the internet, but I certainly found it quickly on the internet and stomped it out.

We book all of our vacations online, we do our banking online, and if I can, I do things via the internet and email.  I've even done my grocery shopping online and do order most of our food online.  I don't do a lot of physical shopping for a lot of reasons, primarily the time issue.

So yes, the internet is pretty safe if you know what you are doing.  Install a good program -- I use Windows Live Care, keep it updated and using a good service provider and you will be fine. 

Also, go directly to your website, don't click on an email link to get to them, especially your banking sites.

You'll be fine.  I sure am.

Oh, and the worse "virus" that has happened at our network in our district was caused by someone sending an inapprioprate message to everyone in the district and everyone hitting reply all to tell that they didn't want the message.  Had nothing to do with a "hacker".

Dallas ISD OKs plan to turn Samuell, Spruce high schools into magnets | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News

I'm glad I don't have to make these decisions.

It's interesting, because someone at my school was just asking me what happened with making us an Academy.  It's a move neither our parents nor our teachers want.  We're not good at change.  Thankfully with an interium principal we've seemed to be able to delay the change.

However, in the case of Spruce and Samuell, change has to come.  They are not doing it right, and I'm not sure what the problem is.  Well, I was talking with a retired teacher from Dallas, and yes, we do know what the problem is -- middle school and elementary school.

QUESTION:  Why don't middle schools and elementary schools get reconstituted? Or do they? Why don't we hear about them?

By the way, DMN got it wrong -- the correct term isn't Magnet, it's Academy.  Small difference BUT Magnets require a minimum set of standards to get in and stay in

I don't know much about Spruce, but 18 years ago, I observed Sammuell and it doesn't seem to have devolved.  I was there for a chess tournament with our kids last year and met a bunch of the math teachers.  They were all very young and apparently life was a mess because they told me that the principal was continually changing schedules -- which isn't good for the kids.

I keep talking about going to one of the reconstituted schools -- which I just found out offended one of my best friends -- I can't help it, I've never worked in a stable work environment except for Hillcrest and we were always looking at different opportunities.  Weird, as I've been in the same classroom now for 16 years, you'd think I'd be used it.

But back to this.

First, which kids get sent to other schools? 

That's been a HUGE problem for us.  We have been getting kids from less successful schools for two years now, and they just don't fit in and they don't know what to do to be successful.  That's ALWAYS hard for me, because our neighborhood kids know at least enough to do the bare minimum.  These kids don't.

I've got one that is failing my tech support class now, because he chooses to show up for once a month.  We met during lunch, so he only comes when someone noticed he's been in the lunch room too long.  I won't let him stay if he plays games on the computer when I am trying to accomplish something and so far he is really only good at helping with inventory.  However, he is MUCH better than the other kids.

I've got another who is on his third week in ISS -- he was given 28 days of in house suspension which usually involves either alcohol or a knife. When he does come into class he doesn't do my assignments.  I caught him playing a game early and he lied and said he wasn't.  I sat him down and showed him how I know he was lying, and then he walked out of the room.  Every single time I've gotten on his case, he just gets up and leaves.  My solution:  leave him alone, but once in a while talk to him gently about how he is wasting his time.

Those are the two worse examples, but they don't get much better.  I'm not sure why they won't do their own part to be successful -- you'd think since they took the trouble to come across town to us they would try harder, but maybe that is the best they can do. 

Quoted from http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/032909dnmetdisd.323ff76.html:

Dallas ISD OKs plan to turn Samuell, Spruce high schools into magnets | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News

Dallas school district trustees voted Saturday to change two low-performing high schools facing possible closure into magnet schools

Teaching Other People's Kids

I usually hate this but it turned out to be a fun day.

My district gets ALL the AP kids together for Super Saturday tutoring for AP subjects.  They have different days -- and Computer Science is lumped into Math usually.

So we have kids from every high school -- busses bring them in.  And we've had some real behavior problems -- at lunch one year one kid hit another kid hard enough we had to call 911.

We usually host it at Townview -- which is a center which houses a bunch of our Magnet schools including SEM (Science and Engineering Magnet) and TAG (Talented and Gifted Magnet).

In the past, it is been a huge chore as the kids were REALLY hard to get along with.  The first group was a bit tough but I just sat there (like I do with my 6th period class), and quietly said "you won't get credit for this if I don't present, and I won't present if you are not quiet". 

Did the trick.

I also think my Geek toys helped.  I demonstrated my "Think Geek" Personal Area Network shirt and they really loved it and one kid wondered outloud if I was getting a cut, but I don't -- I just like the shirts -- would it be too Geekie if I wore them every day?  FYI: http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/unisex/generic/af26 and I'm even mentioned in the product review!!!!!

I also was on the internet with my phone and had my IGo charger plugged into it so I wouldn't lose power.  They thought it was cool that it was "3G". iPhone and ATT have done a good job.

I covered the 2006 Design Question and it went well.  I was WAY over prepared and that helped too,

The fun part -- one kid from the first session asked if I would please come teach at SEM, and the second group all asked if they could come to my school for tutoring.

It got better!!!! At the end of the day, lots of them thanked me!

Oh and they did learn something new -- this.  For the non-CS person -- this is a noun in Java and other programming languages.

iGo PowerXtender

When we were in New Orleans, I ran into a little problem -- I ran out of power on my cell phone.  Now, I have 4 cell phone batteries, and they were fully charged when I left, but husband and I shared the cell phone (WMWifiRemote) for wireless access in the hotel room.

We were at Embassy Suites and they charge for the wireless <snarl>

I had remembered that Office Depot had a few solutions, but we tried three Office Depots and didn't have anything.  Finally in the same parking lot of Office Depot was a Radio Shack and they had the iGo PowerXtender. Man this thing works well.  About two 2AA batteries equals a cell phone charge.  It takes a while for the electrons to go into the phone, but you can stick it attached in your bag and let it work.

Now I have a love/hate relationship with Radio Shack like all ham radio operators, but this one was pretty courteous and even they couldn't understand why the iGO was in the different spot.  You can also buy it on line.  I've looked at their adapters and are tempted -- BUT it's much easier to just go on EBay and by a second adapter. I can usually find them cheaper than what they sell the tips for.

I have the iGo Bluetooth keyboard (which they no longer sell) and love it, so expected a good experience.  I even ordered tips for my bluetooth and my ZUNE and they work well too.  So now an extra gadget in the bag which comes in handy.

New Course for 9th grade -- Introduction to Computer Science

For lack of a better name, I'm calling my new course -- Introduction to Computer Science

We have two problems right now:

• Ninth graders are not suited for computer science (well, TAG ones are but they go into PreAP Computer Science)
• We don't have enough electives for 9th graders.

Solve the problem: come up with an local credit course that will assist the students in getting ready for Computer Science.

The ninth graders that are in my computer science course do not have these basic skills:

• Type with both hands
• Write an email (or even sign up for an email account)
• Use the basic office products
• Use the internet effectively for research

Some of the skills I think they would like to have:

• Take a picture with a digital camera and do some minor changes.
• Make a movie -- especially DVD
• Update and decorate Facebook or other type of social networking website
• Write a blog entry or other type of web based content

Skills I would like to them have

• HTML
• Basic programming

The good news is that I have all the software in the classroom needed for that.

So a brief outline for the course:

• 1st Semester
  • Keyboarding
  • E-mail and e-mail etiquette
  • Basic office products
  • Internet Research
  • Products
    • Term paper
    • Presentation about a topic for another class
    • Resume
    • See other departments about other products that I can incorporate
• 2nd Semester
  • HTML
  • Facebook page (or whatever the latest teen social networking site is)
  • Personal website
  • Programming with Alice or Scratch

As an on-going basis, we'll cover ethics, privacy and copyright. Will also explore technical jobs. Probably as the come up in the news.

Ada Lovelace Day - #ald09

First, I'll start out by saying I believe that Ada Lovelace is a myth and I'd rather honor Grace Hopper.  I did a paper on this and I have not seen any proof that Ada Lovelace wrote a computer program.  However, I know that Grace Hopper did.

Yes, Ada Lovelace lived and yes, she knew Lord Byron and I haven't seen anything definitive beyond that.  But I'll let people have their myths.

I'd rather have reality.

There are lots of really cool women in technology who have done some really cool stuff.  I'll start by honoring every high school CS teacher I know that turns kiddos onto technology. 

My heroes are and have always been the women who left teaching mathematics to help with computers and computing during World War II -- Grace was only one of them.   I suspect it was a harder thing to do than we realize. 

Substitutes

I am out today on jury duty. I've known for a month. I choose my subs carefully because I am anal about my room and about my students. I also treat my subs well.

We have some really bad subs and the one that is in my room now allowed a student to steal memory out of one of my computers. I was shocked at the time but the memory was gone and a student spoke up who witnessed it.

This same sub allowed a group of children tear up on of the business labs to the tune of 16 mice. I do mean tear up, the buttons were ripped off and any other detachable parts were ripped off too.

I rarely call in sick for an emergency and when I do I even plan that as much as possible.

The reason I am ranting is that it is not fair that I hand picked a good sub but because another teacher cannot take care of her business, my students are suffering!

The good news? We are almost done.

Substitutes

I am out today on jury duty. I've known for a month. I choose my subs carefully because I am anal about my room and about my students. I also treat my subs well.

We have some really bad subs and the one that is in my room now allowed a student to steal memory out of one of my computers. I was shocked at the time but the memory was gone and a student spoke up who witnessed it.

This same sub allowed a group of children tear up on of the business labs to the tune of 16 mice. I do mean tear up, the buttons were ripped off and any other detachable parts were ripped off too.

I rarely call in sick for an emergency and when I do I even plan that as much as possible.

The reason I am ranting is that it is not fair that I hand picked a good sub but because another teacher cannot take care of her business, my students are suffering!

APRESS.COM : Zune Game Development using XNA 3.0 : 9781430218616

I bought my Zune because I wanted a very portable game development environment.  I have been doing some experimenting with it but haven't gotten very far. 

However, I bought a new book from Amazon and I really like it:

Quoted from http://www.apress.com/book/view/9781430218616:

APRESS.COM : Zune Game Development using XNA 3.0 : 9781430218616

Zune Game Development Using XNA 3.0 is a comprehensive book that will guide you through the many aspects of XNA game development and their specific implementations on the Zune platform. The book addresses Zune game development concepts in detail and shows you how to apply them in practical, step–by–step examples, building complete, working XNA 3.0 examples along the way that you can download and play.

 

I'm just finished Chapter 3.

So far, it's an easy read and if you type everything in correctly it works. 

I think I could teach high school student with this who had had some programming. I will be honest that I haven't done much C# but everything is understandable.  I am going to hand the book to a couple of different kids and see what they think next week.  I'll let you know.

Here's the project from Chapter 3:  http://screencast.com/t/HIWsaWbph

One of the things I like it, is that so far, there has been a project to build each Chapter.

D Magazine : How The Media Digs For DISD Dirt And How That Distorts Your View Of It

This is why working for Dallas ISD can be fun. And it's easier to look for the bad stuff than the good stuff.

Quoted from http://www.dmagazine.com/2009/03/23/How_The_Media_Digs_For_DISD_Dirt_And_How_That_Distorts_Your_View_Of_It.aspx?page=1:

D Magazine : How The Media Digs For DISD Dirt And How That Distorts Your View Of It

It’s these fishing expeditions that over the years have created a serious problem for the district in how the public perceives it.