And with Renaissance Academy's 10:00 A.M. bell on Friday, I finished my 40th year in education. Forty years...... wow that makes me sound and feel old, but it has been a rewarding career with many challenges.
Reflecting on the Past:
The year was 1983 when I stepped into the classroom for the very first time. It was a time when technology had not yet woven its way into the fabric of education. Chalkboards and textbooks were the primary teaching tools, and student research involved trips to the library and encyclopedias. Teachers relied heavily on their knowledge and creativity to deliver lessons. We didn't have a photocopy machine in the school but we did have the purple mimeograph machines and overhead projectors.
School Technology 1983. What I Used at Central Elementary
overhead projector and mimeograph machine
The Classroom: Then and Now:
Over the last 40 years, education has undergone a revolution, transforming classrooms into dynamic and tech-savvy environments. The blackboard has given way to interactive whiteboards, projectors, and digital displays, bringing the world into the classroom with a single click. Teachers now have access to an extensive array of educational resources, virtual simulations, and multimedia tools, allowing them to create immersive learning experiences.
Collaboration and Communication:
When I started teaching, collaboration between educators often took place at the school level. Today email and online platforms now enable instant communication and facilitate the sharing of ideas, resources, and best practices.
Personalized Learning:
One of the most significant changes I've seen is the shift towards personalized learning through the use of computers and how the internet has given the world to today's students at the click of a few keys. It is amazing!
It was and still is the students who've kept me in the classroom. You must love working with young people if you want to survive in education, but there is more. You must also love your curriculum and learning itself.
The best decision I ever made was the day I walked into the administration building at BYU in 1980 and switched my major from business to education. I've never looked back.
I'd like to teach a few more years if my health holds out. A teacher should retire once they realize their age, health, or temperament is running out of gas. I'm watching the meter every day I step in front of a class. The students will get my best, and if that is no longer a doable thing, then I'll know to take one final bow and hand my chalk to a teacher who can give the kids 100%. Until then, let's take out our books and turn to page 214. It's time to calculate the volume of triangular prisms :)
Mr. Williamson
The Voyagers Meet for their May Voyager Club Meeting
The Voyager Club is a community of space enthusiasts aged 12 and above. We gathered for our May meeting at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center yesterday. The club's mission is to ignite curiosity and promote space exploration, the club fosters a love for the cosmos and aims to cultivate a space-faring civilization.
Early Morning Excitement:
The May meeting of the Voyager Club kicked off at 8:00 A.M., with an exciting few games of bingo. Scott Wiltbank emerged as the fortunate winner of the first round and selected a StarBucks gift card as his prize. Bingo is a great way to encourage our young Voyager cadets to come early to the meeting so everyone is seated by the time the meeting starts at 8:30 A.M.
A Warm Welcome and Introductions:
At 8:30 A.M., the actual meeting was called to order, with Aiden, the club's dedicated president, extending a warm welcome to all attendees. Expressing gratitude for their presence, Aiden acknowledged the enthusiasm and passion that unites the Voyager Club. The meeting began by introducing new club members, referred to as Voyager Explorers. These individuals have the privilege of participating in all club activities except volunteering in the spaceship simulators, an experience reserved for Voyager Volunteers.
Department Showcasing and Achievements:
To celebrate the club's collective accomplishments, I invited department heads to highlight their achievements from the previous month. Each department took a turn to showcase their contributions and engage the members in their respective areas of expertise.
Hayden talking about the club's Media Department. "Don't keep your eyes down, look up! Imagine what wonders you could create in the Media Department!"
Tyler W., representing the Acting Department, skillfully captivated the audience with his commanding voice and sliceable enthusiasm for what the acting department does to contribute to the Space Center's mission. Hayden, from the Media Department, provided insight into the fascinating world of space-related media projects undertaken by the club. Brylee, speaking as the head of the Writing Department, talked about the department's goals for the future. Finally, I briefly discussed the engineering department's contributions
Hopefully the department showcases will motivate more of our cadets to get more deeply involved in Space Center operations and productions.
Astronomy and Ancient Observations:
The highlight of the meeting was the captivating presentation by Jason Trump, an esteemed member of the Voyager Academy's education staff. Jason, an accomplished space educator, shared his knowledge and passion for the sun, its various components, and the fascinating ways ancient civilizations in the Americas recorded solar events on rock. The cadets were engaged as Jason introduced them to native American astronomical wisdom and the extraordinary connection between humanity and the cosmos. Jason ended his lesson by talking about his current project called PUNCH. He and his team are creating four suitcase sized satellites to be launched soon. The PUNCH satellites will study the sun.
Team Building and Collaboration:
Club President Aiden working with one table of cadets during the team building exercise
Recognizing the importance of unity and collaboration, Aiden and Michael led an engaging team-building exercise for those cadets who could stay an extra 15 minutes after the official club meeting ended. As usual, we have too much to do and no time to do it in our club meetings :) The members participated in a round-robin story creation activity, fostering creativity, cooperation, and camaraderie among the attendees. The experience not only enhanced their storytelling skills but also deepened their connection as a unified space-loving community.
Michael working with the other table. Michael is the club's vice president
A Memorable Gathering:
The May meeting of the Voyager Club at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center proved to be an exceptional and memorable event. We had 36 in attendance which was pretty good considering it is the Memorial Day weekend. We even had four visitors from the Farpoint Voyager Club headquartered at The Space Place at Renaissance Academy.
The Voyager cadets are committed to promote space education, exploration, and collaboration. The meeting exemplified the club's mission to excite people about space and cultivate a space-faring civilization. The Voyager Club continues to inspire and empower individuals, igniting a love for the cosmos and fostering a brighter future in space exploration.
A Special Thank You to Jade Hansen
We want to thank Jade Hansen for contributing the grand prize for the end of meeting prize drawing. Each cadet was given a ticket for the drawing. This month's prize was a tablet computer.
Jade is a long time supporter of the Space Center. He squeezes Space Center time in between his duties as a dad and husband, his "real" day job in hi-tech, and his work with the Engineering Department. And let's not forget that Jade also works as a supervisor in the Cassini simulator.
Imaginarium Theater
The Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience
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