Elaine+Plybon


 * **[[image:Slide1.JPG align="center" caption="It was a trick question! Really!"]]What will you be teaching this year?** //IPC//
 * **Are you a new teacher or do you have previous experience (where and for how long)?** //I taught Chemistry, Biology, GMO, and Science TAKS Bridge at Aledo High School for three years before coming to The Academy.//
 * **What brought you to the Academy?** //I started in February, 2007, as the Science Instructional Specialist.//
 * **Tell us something about yourself - hobbies, fun facts, etc.** //My husband and I love to bicycle, drink wine, and spend time with our five children. I am a STAR Discovery Educator, and maintain the [|Texas Discovery Educator Network blog]//.
 * **What would you like to learn over the next four days?** You can add to this question as the week progresses. //I'd like to know procedures for use of budgets and professional development leave.//
 * //Questions and Reflections after Day 1://**

Today I learned (1) how to practically assess Employability Skills and plan to use Cathleen's spreadsheet on a daily basis to assist me with that. (2) that my decision to go caffeine-free will be difficult to implement (did good today, though, despite the headache!) (3) I learned about FunShine, which I'd never heard about before. (3) I learned where the maintenance room is.

[|**http://www.irvingisd.net/academy/staffresources/default.asp**]


 * //New questions during last day of training://**

1. We saw a little teaser about [|YackPack] and I'm wondering why the district filters are okay with YackPack, but not with [|Twitter]. Twitter is free and the kids could use it in the same collaborative way that they could use YackPack, but it is all written communication. Just curious.

2. When will Tech Tuesdays start?