As I prepare for Spring Break coming up next week, I am feeling defeated by all the testing going on.  We lost 2 weeks instructional time for ISTEP this month.  We had not quite a week to prepare for IREAD.  Gave IREAD this week so another week lost.  Now final Acuity is scheduled for the week we return from Spring Break followed by the final ISTEP.  If I feel this defeated I can only imagine how my students are feeling.  It's getting to the point where they are testing so much they are not taking tests seriously.  I hear groaning and sighing when I mention another test we have to take.  Not to mention the stress the State of Indiana places on these test.  "Oh, by the way, if you fail this test today you are not allowed to move on to 4th grade.  Good Luck and do your best!"  Hard to say that with an encouraging smile to my little students.  Sometimes things are happening in a child's life that takes precedence over a test.  So this defeated feeling is warranted, but I need to find a way around it or through it to actually teach my students for what time I have them left in the school year.  I love teaching and making a difference with my students.  I need to find that focus again and show them there is more to school than testing!

WOW!  I just googled my name to see my own digital footprint.  I was really surprised by the results.  The first thing I noticed is my annual school pictures are displayed right there for everyone to see!  I had no idea those would be so readily available (I need to make sure I get that hair color and cut before school pictures next year).  As I look through the links listed below the photographs I see the first is my Facebook link.  Perhaps this is because I use this social media site a lot?  I’m not sure why it is listed first.  The next item listed is the link to my website through my makeup company I recently joined, Younique.  I find this to be my second passion behind teaching.  (Plug for Younique :) )  I see links to my Pinterest, Twitter, InstaGram, etc.  This is all on the first page.  When I click to go to the second page I find relatives names, websites I have joined (ex: Spelling City), previous employers!  Really . . . previous employers!  How in the world is that out there in cyberspace?  

How can I make my footprint positive?  I want my students to see ALL positive when/if they ever google my name.  I need to be sure all interactions online are POSITIVE.  No room for any negativity in my life.

What can I do to ensure my students have a positive footprint?  When we get our one-to-one devices I will show my students what happens when I google my name.  I will point out all the good things they see.  Then I will have each student google their name.  We will share some things they find out about their name being googled.  Explaining to them that their parent, teachers, principal, or anyone can google their names any time to see what they are doing online will have a big impact on the decisions they make online.  After about a month, I will complete this same exercise and ask them to compare this google to their initial google.  Come to think of it, I NEED to do this activity with my son right now!!!! :)