Learning Solutions

Having Granny in my life has made me a better person. She is my last grandparent. I am fortunate to have had many years with all four of my grandparents. The unfortunate consequence is having to say goodbye to each of them. When I lost my first grandparent, I could not understand why he was taken away. Being younger, I was selfish and wanted him to be with me forever. I was not interested in the bigger picture and the true glory of everlasting life that awaits each of us.

Now, as I say goodbye to Granny, I feel blessed to have been a witness to her example of love, loyalty, and honor, calmed by the thought of her continuing to watch over me and my family. I know she is with Papa and is already getting on him about the clothes he found at the angels flea market. One of my greatest treasures from her is the quilt she made for me.

She gave me a quilt

It began as five pieces stitched together with hands worn from hard work, but determined by love

It has given consolation in times of grief, and absorbed the tears of joy

It is a cocoon of warmth when it’s cold and rainy, a place to relax and bask in sunshine of calm summer day

It has swaddled the newborn and comforted the elderly.

It has been shared with others to praise and criticize

It has endured the wear and tear of life, but with gentle love and care, has remained in one piece

It has traveled many roads, but has always found its way back home

It confounds the ignorant as to how those five pieces have stayed together to form an unbreakable bond

It beholds a sense of wonder to those that understand the true difficulty of crafting something so delicate yet durable

It is a testament to the work ethic and faith-filled legacy of our German Catholic heritage

She gave me a quilt?

No, she gave me a family

A family that knew if you left her house hungry, it was your own fault, whether for food or love, she provided an abundance of both

A family that celebrates the triumphs as well as defeats with equal passion

A family that remains loyal to each other through the toughest of times

A family that plays hard and prays harder

A family that will always be the Norman and Cora Dierschke Family 58 strong and growing.

I am blogging from my new iPhone. Angelo state is investigating the educational impact of this solution on campus.

Great user interface, slick design, low learning curve. These are all hallmarks of apple designed products, so no surprise there.

What truly sets the iphone apart from other mobile devices are the browser and the number of high quality applications developed by the user community.

The browser is a real browser, not limited just because it is on a mobile device.

The apps are easily installed, and provide tools that enhance your iPhone experience. I am using a wordpress app to post this blog.

Schools are deploying laptops to students, and some are providing iPhones. We are standing at a crucial point in the evolution of technology tools, where evidence of success is paramount. Tools like the iPhone are paving the way.

Article in San Angelo Standard Times:

The Ballinger, Texas school district gave a Apple MacBook laptop computer to every high school and junior high student in the district and all their teachers. In all, the school obtained more than 600 of the computers on a four-year lease at about $1,000 each, through the Texas Education Agency Technology Immersion Program (TIP).  The program is designed to get students online for instruction and prepare them for an increasingly paperless world.

Students will turn their computer back in before summer, but returning students will get the same computer back at the beginning of the next school year.

Ballinger is attempting to replicate the success from the Floydada school district.

From the school’s website:

Ballinger Independent School District was proud to initiate the Laptop Initiative last week - “ emPOWERing Students for the Future “. The project loans a school owned laptop computer to a student for school and home usage (6th - 12th Grade). MacBooks will be integrated as a tool for all students within the classroom learning environment.

Hopefully, a comprehensive staff development program is in place to ensure that best practices are utilized.  Oftentimes, laptops are just thrown into the classroom, and schools take a “stand back and watch: approach”.  We are way beyond the technology for technology’s sake attitude.