July 21, 2002
Hello!
Yes.... I am this Weeg person who is actually making Web
pages faster than my family can fill the laundry baskets! Now
you_know_that means some *real* fast work. The editor of
The Shore Journal, who
has featured The Global Classroom
has dubbed me: Patti www.eeg
I started this Web site back in May of 1995 and went full steam ahead during the summer months.
Once school began again in September my
energies were redirected to my 6, 7 and 8 year old little
ones in my computer lab but you can see that I .html'd them in
a heartbeat! My 10, 11 and 12 year old 'adopted students'
have invaded my lab, too. These are my KIDLINK
kids who come to me during their recess time and after
school. I think they love telecom because they 'call the
shots' and the lab is student centered. They make the
decisions about the Internet projects they want to do and the
keypals they want to write to. They can even decide if they
want to come to the lab or go outside to play. The choices
are theirs. You would be surprised...
Though I was born in Fresno, California, I have lived most of
my life in Maryland. My husband, Jim, comes from Oregon
but we love our home on Maryland's Eastern Shore
between the
gorgeous Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Our global
address is: 38:22:19N 75:35:20W
Jim and I lived in Augsburg, Germany when we were first
married and had a chance to visit my extended family in
Salerno, Italy. This was a special treat and one I'll always
remember. We were not able to visit my other relatives in
Poland nor the country of Jim's ancestors, Norway, but maybe
someday in our retirement we will.
I began teaching in 1965 in Philadelphia. Ouch! That's many
years ago! ;-) I took time out to move to Germany as a
bride, to have our children and to complete a Masters
Degree. So... I have not really been teaching for 33 years.
In 1988 I began a totally new career in the computer lab
using computer assisted instruction and Jostens software.
I barely knew how to
turn on the computer at that time but was eager to learn and
had incredibly wonderful teachers in the business world who
gave tech support for our lab.
In 1989 I changed from parochial school to the county school
system and went back into the classroom for two years before
returning once more to the Title 1 computer lab. While teaching math
for those two years I had one Apple computer and AppleWorks.
My 6th graders relished the powers they found in creating
databases and spreadsheets. We all love computers for the
power they give us, right? I tell mine to 'print' and it
prints. I tell my 19 year old daughter to be home by curfew
or to clean her room and I get 'bad command or file name!'
In 1990 I began to use telecommunications within our state of
Maryland. By 1991 I had reached the Internet and was pointed
in the direction of KIDLINK by a dear young university friend
who was studying with his wife in Spain. Diego.... you lost
your Internet access when you returned to South America but
if you ever read this... bless your heart!!
If I am really honest I have to say that computer mediated
communication has changed the way I live, the way I teach,
the way I think. I am part of a world community now and
anchor my days in GMT. My computer lab at Delmar is tiny...
only made for 8 computers and maybe as many humans... but my
classroom is 'global.' It extends far beyond the limits of
my computer lab walls. My students and I live in the
Northern and Southern Hemispheres all at the same time. If
only we could learn to speak more languages...! Ahh well...
my children have to play sometimes and I suppose I must sleep
a few hours too. We just can't do it all though we try hard!
When not in my computer lab or here at home on my keyboard
you might find me speaking at conferences or giving training
classes in telecom. Every now and then I'll leave my kids to
do that but only for just a while. My heart is really with my
students. That's where it is *happening* and nothing can
compare. I spoke in London in March of 1995
but of course you know where I spent my days when not
at the conference.... yes... at The Cedars Primary School
with Mike Burleigh and his kids.
In August of 1996 I flew to Brazil where I
joined many KIDLINK friends and spoke at a conference
in Rio de Janeiro. The Hawaii Education and Research Network (HERN)
invited me to speak at their Summer Institute on the islands in July of
1997. In October of 1997 I joined 30+ KIDLINKers in Denmark for the
Third Annual KIDLINK management meetings and conferences held for Danish teachers
as part of Netd@ys Europe 97. In July of 1998 I again flew to Hawaii
where I did workshops for teachers
in the Aiea Complex on Oahu. I climbed to the top of Diamond
Head crater! In August of 1998 I flew to Lima, Peru where
I joined other KIDLINKers for our meetings and to speak to
Peruvian teachers. While there I went to Machu Picchu and Cusco
to see the
Inca ruins. Out of this world! My next stop in 1998 was Stockholm,
Sweden, in October, for Links98 and
a presentation about my online work with
my younger students. In September of 1999 I gave the keynote presentation at the Millennium Minds Conference in Cape Town, South Africa. By mid October I was on my way to San Juan, Puerto Rico and the 5th International Kidlink Conference. Jim says when
I go out it is usually to the grocery store or out of the country! To see where I have given presentations and/or workshops since 1999 [Hawaii, Chicago, Norway, Maryland, Florida] take a look here:
Patti's Place
The exploding popularity of the World Wide Web has reached us
too. Since I am a visual person I long to put images with
the text I read on the screen. The Web suits my personality.
;-) It has great appeal for one who randomly jumps from one
thought to the next. That's me. It also allows for the more
analytical thinkers to follow a thread in an orderly
fashion. How wonderful to have a tool for both sides of the
brain!
Come visit our site often for we are always changing and
growing. That's our promise to you. If you ever travel to Maryland's
Eastern Shore, please stop by. Once you get our sand in your shoes...
you'll always return... that's what they say...
Warmest hugs,
Patti
[battery included]
KIDPROJ Manager for KIDLINK
Curriculum Vitae
