AHH!!

So, I had a very long "to-do" list for tonight. And this was on it. Then of course, I get side tracked because my DVD-CD drive didn't work and my NEW computer kept telling me that the driver wasn't installed properly. (SIGH!) So, after trying to track down my problem on my own - to no avail, I discovered that Gateway had a chat support on their website. What was wonderful about it was that they were still supporting it at 11pm! What I loved about it was that I didn't have to talk to people out of the country for tech support. Nothing (well almost nothing) drives me crazy more than calling tech support when I've tried MANY different ways to solve the problem (and when I call, it's a real problem, not something that is easily fixed) and they tell me (well read to me from their book) what to click and do, when it was in fact the first thing I did and I told them that I had already done that. This time, it wasn't like that, thankfully. I got the feeling that they've had this issue before and just KNEW what to do -- and it was a real tech support person, not a guy/girl sitting in front of book to read me a script. In a few minutes, it was fixed. Of course, this doesn't explain why it was 11pm and I still hadn't blogged. That's because I was still tweaking my lesson for tomorrow. I kept getting different ideas and working things out. The last part needed my DVD drive, that's when I discovered that it didn't work. But it does now. Whew! When I thought that the alternative was for me to bring two laptops tomorrow to class, I wanted to cry.

Anyhow, my lesson is all set for tomorrow, although I know I'll keep getting ideas - I always do. To me, teaching is like engineering... so many different ways to get to a "solution" or "output" which allows me to be creative. It is my hope that the students find it useful and it provides a good foundation for their final projects.

Today the students showed the short videos of 1-2 minutes. It was great to see what they were able to put together. The transformer and stop motion effects that the Juggernauts did was hysterical! Chick-a-dee's video on Petco Park (from their Padre game outing to our field trip) was really cool and captured the events so well!

In the afternoon, Joe did a lesson on combinatorics. I love combinatorics. It was one of my favorite classes in college! I always digress from my lessons for a day or so when I get to a topic that involves combinatorics. My students get a crash lesson on it. It's great fun! One of my favorites to introduce to the students is the ice cream problem. You go to your favorite ice cream place and you can't make up your mind. The employee looks at you impatiently and you feel a little pressured to make up your mind immediately. How can you? You have THOUSANDS of combinations to choose from: small? medium? large? one scoop? two scoops? flavors? toppings? mix-ins? cup? cone? It's a wonder we don't stand there for hours trying to decide! Since I teach Statistics (which includes at least a full chapter on Probability) I get to incorporate lots of different activities which involves combinatorics. Great fun I tell you!

Well, it's way past my bedtime, but I had to blog before I went to bed. What kind of teacher would I be if I didn't do what I expected my students to do? I do my best to abide by the expectations that are set before them. That's only fair. We are all in it together. One cluster. One community! Cluster One.

Ok. That's was officially goofy. Time for sleep.