Michael Jones

Bloomington Junior High School

7H Science

Bio:

Greetings!  This is my 7th year here at BJHS and my 14th teaching primarily science.  I am a huge nerd and love all things technology.  I like that a washing machine and dryer can communicate about my socks.  I like the thought that my cell phone has much more computing power and access to information that my first computer.  I like how embracing technology has totally made me reinvent myself as a teacher.

 

Favorite Software

Microsoft Movie Maker

Microsoft Office

Photo Story

Google Earth 5 or later

Google Sketch Up

Audacity

Roxio Photo suite

Examview

Prentice Hall's Lesson viewer

Wikis

Comic Life

Neat Websites

Lost Fan Site

Fark!

Addicting Games (Some are great, some are not appropriate)

Tinker's Guild (for those who love tools)

Twiter

SIT Conference

Google Sketch-Up

School Tube

Fan Fiction

Travel Pod

Woot

What I believe: 

  • Students must learn how to evaluate information they receive.  What information is important?  Which source is valid and unbiased?

  • In life, there are no multiple choice assignments.

  • Allowing students an opportunity to share their work with others helps develop a level of craftsmanship and pride in their work.

  • Students must learn how to communicate in a proper, professional manner to express their opinions and knowledge.

  • In tomorrow’s job market, an increased emphasis will be placed on technology.  Students need to become comfortable using new hardware and software.

  • No one works alone.  Students need to develop cooperation when working with a team to accomplish a common goal.

  • In order to teach others, students must master the content first.

Family

I use Roxio to photoedit. You can't see my wife's arms at first glance.

Mom and Dad holding my daughter (1st grandchild).

Sampson has been with us now for 4 years. HSCI is a great service.

Kristen (on right) is my sister-in-law and is a Ob-Gyn in Lincoln. Did I pick the wrong one?

I hope the smirk is from gas and not some plan.

Suzie Hutton teaches with me at BJ and is a dear friend.

Ain't she cute.

We are lucky enough to live near an awesome park.

I married up. Big time!

We love Miller Park Zoo and go there often.

Hard to see, but this is a sonogram from our second child due this summer.

This is a former student with me at a high school honors night.

Hobbies:

Reading

more reading...

Scuba Diving

Cooking

Watching my Cubbies <often swearing>

Movies

Paintball

Video Games

Poker

Favorite Authors:

Steve Alten

Dan Brown

Bill Bryson

Lincoln Child

James Preston

Clive Cussler

Bill DeSmedt

John Lange/Michael Crichton (JL was his early pen name)

James Rollins