Doing My Happy Dance

I’m doing my happy dance.

I’m done, finished, completed. It’s a wrap.

I have fulfilled the requirements of the on-line course I have been taking since August.: DataStreme Atmospheric Studies

Here’s the course summary:

DataStreme Atmosphere is a 13-week course offered twice a year to selected participants nationwide. Directed towards middle-school teachers, but open to all K-12 teachers, DS Atmosphere is designed to enhance public understanding of the atmospheric portion of the Earth system and its interaction with people. The course utilizes electronically transmitted environmental data and learning materials, including text readings and related investigations. Created and sustained with major support from NOAA, the DS Atmosphere course has a strong leadership component and is designed to be the initial step in the training of Weather Resource Teachers across the nation. Successful participants will become their school’s representative as part of a national science education program conducted by the American Meteorological Society.

So, the whole time I’ve been teaching this school year, I’ve been a student as well. I had assignments, readings and home work to do. I’ve had projects to complete. 

This was a graduate-level science course about weather and the atmosphere - it was hard. The topic is ridiculously complex. The readings are dense. The chapters were long. The assessment process was tedious at best.

The assessment process consists of two projects:  A complete lesson plan; and a written plan of how I’m going to share my new understanding of weather and the atmosphere. 

Oh, and sixty quizzes. Yes, you read that correctly - sixty quizzes. 

Trust me, when I schedule a quiz, assign a reading or give out homework and hear the whole class groan, I feel your pain. I understand, but it’s for a reason.

There is simply not enough class time to learn all the things we need to learn, so we extend that learning time with additional work at home. We need to understand what you have and have not learned so we can move on or reteach a topic. 

But, think how good it will feel when you're done. 

Then, you can do your happy dance!