Some Thoughts ....

As I have mentioned before in this BLOG ... I woke up one night and came up with this DVD idea ... an idea which really hinges on the TAKS tests and its associated testing materials. This is kind of funny ... because one of the reasons I left the classroom is because of the TAKS test!! I hated what it was doing to my geometry class. I hated what it was doing to Secondary Math period!! HOWEVER .... I wouldn't have minded teaching a stand alone TAKS Math class. But if the new principal had known I actually wanted to teach TAKS Math, she would have tried to find something else for me to teach ... I promise.

Anyway ... I woke up ... had this idea ... recorded this idea the next day ... and then ... within the next 10 days. I had two things happen which helped to affirm that this is what I need to be doing.

FIRST THING ... I walked into our local Wal-Mart and an employee stopped me and said "Ms. Khan??" (I used to be Ms. Khan .. for about 4 years). I told her I used to be ... now I am Ms. Mackinnon. She told me that I was her favorite teacher and that it was because I helped her pass TAAS (the older version of TAKS) Math that she was able to get her diploma and go on with her life ... and she gave me a big hug. I taught her 8 years ago .. and she now is a beautician at Wal-Mart and seems to be very happy!

SECOND THING ... A few days later I was getting a pedicure in a nail shop which I have been patronizing for 10 years or so. I was soaking my tootsies and reading a book when the woman in the chair next to mine touched my arm and said "Do you still teach Math?" She looked vaguely familiar ... but I have been teaching 22 years with about 180 students per year. I said that I had just left the classroom this past Fall. She then said that she couldn't remember my name but that she had never forgotten me because I helped her pass TAAS Math .... the one thing she needed to graduate. She had failed to graduate in her hometown of New Braunfels, TX (because of TAAS) and had moved to Lewisville to try one more semester in a different school to see if that would help. She was in my TAAS Math class and said it made all the difference! This was 10 years ago and she still recognized me!

I think that says something .... something about Karma ... and synergy .... and all that other cool stuff .... I decide to make a TAKS DVD to help students who have failed TAKS Math ... and within days I am met by 2 students who remember me fondly for helping them pass TAAS and graduate.

I just wanted to share that ... isn't it cool?

TAKS Math DVD idea....

Okay ... here is what is happening so far ...

I am going to make a DVD for the Exit Level TAKS Math test. I am going to have it showing ME doing the 102 practice problems from the Math Section of the Exit Level TAKS Study Guide for Math and Science. I am trying to get permission from the State to link my DVD to their Study Guide. The Study Guide is supplied FREE to students taking the Exit Level TAKS ... or it can be downloaded at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/taks/booklets/index.html and everyone has access to this site ....

I emailed the University of North Texas (Denton) Film School to see if anyone up there might be interested in doing this project ... we hoped it could be a student and cost next to nothing ...

One of the Asst. Professors read the email and seems to really like the idea ... but he beleives it needs to have a professional touch to it and he has offered to work with us to create a quality DVD. It will cost us some money, though. He came to our home last Saturday and we discussed the entire project. He thinks it is a really good idea and he would like to film it in our living room ... me, being me ... casual dress and barefoot ... with a white board ... bookshelves ... plants ... cats .... whatever ....

We are hoping to create maximum 8 hours of finished product which we can then put onto a Glass Master Disc and then be able to order DVD's by the 1,000's and hopefully sell them by the 1,000's!! We are planning on charging around $40 for the DVD .... which is what I charge for 1 hour of Private tutoring ... and the buyer will get 8 hours of "private tutoring" ... and be able to click on each Objective and go over problems ... and hopefully learn something!!

We want this to be available for sale by mid-May ... when the TAKS results come in ... so the counselors can hand the kid the study guide ... and a flyer advertising this DVD!!

I am recovering nicely from my surgery .... 2 weeks ago tomorrow .... will probably start filming early in February. Will keep ya'll posted!!

PS ... I just called TEA Copyright Offices ... spoke with a lady there. She took down my information and says she has not received my emails. She says she will have someone contact me soon. I made note of her name and number so that I can call her again if I don't hear anything.

DVD is becoming more and more possible!!

A man from UNT Film School contacted me again today to be sure that we are still interested in persuing making the DVD of me teaching TAKS Exit Level Math!!

YES!! We are still interested!!

I am getting pretty excited about all of this now!! Just wanted to let those of you who read this know that things are moving forward on that! Hoping to have it ready for sale by the end of May when TAKS test results are given to the students!

I am one-week post surgery right now and doing pretty well. I should be able to go back to tutoring and teaching without too much trouble at all next week. It will be slow, but that is even better for my recovery! And now I need to be outlining exactly what I am going to be doing and saying on DVD!!

This is pretty exciting!!