Saturday, March 30, 2013
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Friday, March 15, 2013
So proud of ur Daddy!!
Andrew was recently asked to submit to our local paper on technology in the classroom!! If you know Andrew .... you know technology is everything to him and he strives to know the most recent and up to date ways of using it in his classroom and in his everyday! Here is the article he wrote....
In my short time as a first-grade teacher, technology has exponentially grown in finding a role in educating today’s digital natives. While education is shifting to more and more digital tools, the underlying challenge is still the same — meaningful instruction. One tool that has assisted in providing authentic and meaningful instruction has been the assistance of a SMART Board.
Here are some examples of how the SMART Board has enriched learning in my classroom:
• Using Street View in Google Maps, students were able to take a virtual tour of the NASA Space Center. The SMART Board allowed us to annotate over the image and locate 2-D/3-D shapes.
• Using Skype, we have been able to connect with classes across the U.S. and even with the governor of Iowa. When chatting via Skype, we shared our screen and used the SMART Board to create a Venn diagram in real time highlighting similarities and differences between schools and communities.
• The SMART Board allowed us to collaboratively create a story map and story. Once done, the story was exported as a PDF file, which in turn was created into an e-Book and shared on student blogs/class website.
• Videos and flash files coupled with interactive quizzes are inserted into lessons, instantly assessing student understanding and enriching lessons.
While digital tools will continue to find their way into the classroom, the SMART Board has been a valuable tool to manipulate the plethora of digital resources in real time.
Andrew Fenstermaker
On top of being , what we like to call in our house, A ROCK STAR he was also recognized by the superintendent of the schools!!
GO DADDY GO!!!! We are so proud of him for all his time and effort he puts in to be the best he can be everyday!!!
In my short time as a first-grade teacher, technology has exponentially grown in finding a role in educating today’s digital natives. While education is shifting to more and more digital tools, the underlying challenge is still the same — meaningful instruction. One tool that has assisted in providing authentic and meaningful instruction has been the assistance of a SMART Board.
Here are some examples of how the SMART Board has enriched learning in my classroom:
• Using Street View in Google Maps, students were able to take a virtual tour of the NASA Space Center. The SMART Board allowed us to annotate over the image and locate 2-D/3-D shapes.
• Using Skype, we have been able to connect with classes across the U.S. and even with the governor of Iowa. When chatting via Skype, we shared our screen and used the SMART Board to create a Venn diagram in real time highlighting similarities and differences between schools and communities.
• The SMART Board allowed us to collaboratively create a story map and story. Once done, the story was exported as a PDF file, which in turn was created into an e-Book and shared on student blogs/class website.
• Videos and flash files coupled with interactive quizzes are inserted into lessons, instantly assessing student understanding and enriching lessons.
While digital tools will continue to find their way into the classroom, the SMART Board has been a valuable tool to manipulate the plethora of digital resources in real time.
Andrew Fenstermaker
On top of being , what we like to call in our house, A ROCK STAR he was also recognized by the superintendent of the schools!!
Good Afternoon Andrew
You
may remember me visiting your classroom during one of your Skype visits
two years ago. When I saw your letter in the paper on Monday I knew it
would make a great read during a presentation I did this morning. I
received the following from a member of the audience.
Congratulations and thank you for all that you do four students!
AND a parent......
I also wanted to comment on your letter from Andrew Fenstermaker. I had not seen that letter in the paper, but as a parent, I had the opportunity to have my son in his class. He is a world class teacher. We are very lucky to have a lot of very good teachers in our school system, but Mr. Fenstermaker is one of the best. He is very engaged with his students. I know my son loved to skype with kids from all different states as well as watching videos of himself in class learning. It was a fantastic 1st grade year at Penn. I for one love to hear the good stuff, so I thought I would pass it on to you.
GO DADDY GO!!!! We are so proud of him for all his time and effort he puts in to be the best he can be everyday!!!
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Bring on the better weather!
Happy Saturday! March is here and the Fenstermaker's are hoping for warmer weather. Not only does our backyard look like a wintery pool of mud and water we were finally given some clarity to why Braylon is always having cold symptoms and horrid coughs... ASTHMA! We have been fearing for months that he is allergic to the dog and have been going in and out of thinking that due to the fact it is not day to day consistent but here fora week or so then healthy a day or two then back to it for a week or so and on and on and on. After this past time going in and getting oxygen levels checked as well as a little more discussion with the doctor he has come to the conclusion it is cough induced asthma. From my understanding; just a form of asthma that causes cold like symptoms and one hell of a nasty cough. Luckily he is a strong willed and happy sick baby so there are not many side effects on him except the occasion sleepless night (which if your a parent you know this can be emotionally and physically draining on EVERYONE!). After an expensive run to the pharmacy we hope to have a little better control over it and hopefully a way to prevent it from occurring as often and as harsh as it does. On a good not the doctor said this type of asthma is at its worst in winter months (which would totally make sense seeing how the past 4 months it has been non-stop) and should show signs of letting up if not disappearing as the weather changes to spring and summer. BRING ON THE HEAT!!!
Aside from constant asthma reactions our little turkey...well is jus that, a TURKEY! He is showing us more and more of his personality and boy is it strong! He occasionally ends up in a sit out and usually smiles while doing it. He has also put himself in a time out and just sat and laughed. I have a slight fear our next children will have bigger and bolder personalities and I may be in big trouble someday, especially if any of them are girls! Braylon is also growing like a weed it seems. This morning he had two waffle and a sausage patty. Such an oinker! He weighed 29 pounds at the doctors and i would venture to guess around 33 inches tall (they did not measure him). Needless to say he will continue to be a big boy! We recently had a snow day all together as a family and we enjoyed some time outside in the snow! He is starting to enjoy it a little more but still has a hard time physically getting around and enjoying himself. We are working on it though! We also went up to see Papaw for lunch and visited the science station. It was a little old for his skills but it was still something that was fun and interactive for all of us!
Andrew has recently (today being the first day) went back to working at Maytag on saturdays when needed for vent cleanings. We hit a little financial hill at the end of the year with surgeries and the dog and its just an extra step to get us back to flat ground! He is truly the man of the house and our hero for always putting forth the extra effort and going the extra mile. Braylon and I are blessed that he does this for us, our future. He is our everyday hero. I truly believe real heroes DO NOT WEAR CAPES! Maybe it is time to rewrite the comics and cartoons! It won't be long and baseball will be starting too! Super dad!
We are are enjoying our time as a family as much as we can. WE are starting to make better health choices with healthier meals and a better lifestyle. At some point you look back and just as WHY? Why did I do that, why did I think that was ok....more or less what the heck were we thinking! Along witha healthy change we want to take in more and more moments as being a family and parents to an amazing little guy...starting with a family vacation to MN in a week and a half for some fun, laughs and many memories! It will be the first family spring break and it didn't even take that long to convince daddy to go! :) Hope your all having a great March!
Aside from constant asthma reactions our little turkey...well is jus that, a TURKEY! He is showing us more and more of his personality and boy is it strong! He occasionally ends up in a sit out and usually smiles while doing it. He has also put himself in a time out and just sat and laughed. I have a slight fear our next children will have bigger and bolder personalities and I may be in big trouble someday, especially if any of them are girls! Braylon is also growing like a weed it seems. This morning he had two waffle and a sausage patty. Such an oinker! He weighed 29 pounds at the doctors and i would venture to guess around 33 inches tall (they did not measure him). Needless to say he will continue to be a big boy! We recently had a snow day all together as a family and we enjoyed some time outside in the snow! He is starting to enjoy it a little more but still has a hard time physically getting around and enjoying himself. We are working on it though! We also went up to see Papaw for lunch and visited the science station. It was a little old for his skills but it was still something that was fun and interactive for all of us!
Andrew has recently (today being the first day) went back to working at Maytag on saturdays when needed for vent cleanings. We hit a little financial hill at the end of the year with surgeries and the dog and its just an extra step to get us back to flat ground! He is truly the man of the house and our hero for always putting forth the extra effort and going the extra mile. Braylon and I are blessed that he does this for us, our future. He is our everyday hero. I truly believe real heroes DO NOT WEAR CAPES! Maybe it is time to rewrite the comics and cartoons! It won't be long and baseball will be starting too! Super dad!
We are are enjoying our time as a family as much as we can. WE are starting to make better health choices with healthier meals and a better lifestyle. At some point you look back and just as WHY? Why did I do that, why did I think that was ok....more or less what the heck were we thinking! Along witha healthy change we want to take in more and more moments as being a family and parents to an amazing little guy...starting with a family vacation to MN in a week and a half for some fun, laughs and many memories! It will be the first family spring break and it didn't even take that long to convince daddy to go! :) Hope your all having a great March!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Friday, March 1, 2013
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!
Ps....look at that sly face! He knew there was puff corn and it didn't take long for him to melt my heart and get a few pieces before dropping him off! Love him!
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