New School, New Year

Well, summer is almost over and the time for me to introduce myself to the Fredonia School District is nearing. I have spent the past few days putting the finishing touches on my classroom and getting more focused on curriculum for the upcoming year. I'm really excited to be in Fredonia and can't wait to get started.

As of July 28th, my Master's Degree is complete. It's been a long two years but I'm finally done and now I can get back to my passion of reading books that are not part of anybody's curriculum. I've even gone so far as to quit making excuses and start writing a story I've been quietly thinking about for five years now.

Anyway, look to this blog to be posted on a LOT more often, mostly because I'm going to begin torturing my students with it (insert maniacal laughter and hand-wringing). I'm thinking once a week I will post a link to a TrackStar assignment or have them respond to a post or something.

We'll see.

Mr. Atcheson Has Moved!

Hey all (or no one)!,

My wife Ellie and I have left the sunny shores of Osage City for the bustling metropolis of Independence, KS. That also means that the focus of the blog has shifted a little as well. I have been granted the opportunity to work in the Fredonia Public School District for the upcoming year! This may be better for the sake of the blog because Fredonia is so cutting edge that they have the "1 to 1 Initiative" in which EVERY last student in the high school has an apple laptop and internet access. This means I will likely weave Mr. Atcheson's History Blog into the required curriculum! This will expand my readership from maybe just me to possibly dozens. Huzzah.

I am also nearing the end of this marathon Master's Degree Program. By opening day of football season it will all just be a blurry, expensive nightmare. Oh, and I'll have my Master's Degree in Education (which is pretty cool if you ask me...).

More on this as the school year nears...

The Times They Are A Changin'...

Life has certainly taken some turns for me lately! Since my last post (February), my wife and I have decided to move south to be closer to her family. This means new house, new jobs, new city (or town in a few possible cases...). Topsy-turvy doesn't begin to explain it. Ellie has landed a job in Independence, but my job hunt is in full swing. I think (hopefully) I am close to nailing something down, but you never really know when it comes to interviews. The school you think you had a real bond with may never call again, or a five minute conversation at a job fair could turn into your new home. Life is a stinker at times. Anyway, thinks could look a lot different in the next few weeks. I will however continue to blog for and about my history classes, wherever they may be...

Mr. A, Why Haven't You Posted?

I am perfectly aware that I may be the only person on the planet who reads this blog or even knows it exists. I make all of my students aware--I've got it posted on my bulletin board--but I am reminded on a daily basis of some of their abysmally small attention spans.
Anyway.
I haven't blogged in a while because for the last year or so, I have been involved in this Graduate course from Baker University. It barely leaves me a free second, especially for reading or writing anything non course-related. I haven't read a book for fun in over a year now and the pace of some of these classes has me reading sometimes up to 6 textbooks or novels a month. Needless to say, this has been on the back burner.
That doesn't mean that I haven't wanted to blog, though. My passing interest in politics has blossomed into a full-blown passion to learn the latest political news, particularly our upcoming presidential election in November. I just keep getting this intense feeling that the heavy hand of history is carving something remarkable about this current race. The history-nerd part of me desperately not only wants to be able to say I was there, but that I was a part of it. I just keep getting the sense that everything I hear will be noted and show up in textbooks, posters, and novels for the rest of time. I feel like I'm witnessing some amazing stuff.
Like most things I'm really passionate about, I want to somehow climb inside it and wear it like a skin, to be recognized synonymously with the event or person. I realize I'm just a normal guy. Short of doing a sort of "stalker/assassin" over-the-top sort of act, the closest I'll get is seeing history made at arm's length like everyone else. Oh well.
Anyway, just because I haven't posted, doesn't mean I've forgotten. I hope to become more regular with these as these classes taper down (August). We'll see.

--Mr. Atcheson